‘No longer the best man for the job’: Irish PM Leo Varadkar resigns

On Wednesday, Ireland’s Indian Prime Minister Leo Varadkar shocked the country by suddenly announcing his resignation from office and party leadership for “personal and political” reasons.

The 45-year-old Taoiseach made the announcement in an emotional statement on the steps of Government House in Dublin.

Varadkar said: “From today I resign as president and leader and will resign as prime minister as soon as my successor is able to take office.”

Part of leadership, he said, is knowing when to “pass the baton to someone else and having the courage to do so.”

“It’s now,” he said.

Varadkar, who was born in Ireland to a Mumbai-born father and an Irish mother, has led Fine Gael since 2017. At 38, he became the country’s youngest and first openly gay prime minister, having served twice since. Prime Minister.

Varadkar’s exit was announced after dual referendums on family issues failed, with voters refusing to expand the constitutional definition of family beyond married couples and removing some sexist references to women’s domestic responsibilities from the Irish constitution. language.

Varadkar said he believed the new leader “will be better equipped than me” to win seats for his party Fine Gael at the next general election, due to be held next year.

Varadkar said: “The reasons why I am resigning now are both personal and political, but mainly political… After seven years in the job I no longer feel that I am the best person for the job.”

“There are loyal colleagues and good friends running in the European local elections and I want to give them the best chance. Personally, I enjoy being Prime Minister… However, politicians are human beings and we have our limitations. We do our best , until we can’t do it anymore. And then we have to move on,” he said.

“That’s it. I have no other arrangements or considerations. No definite personal or political plans, but I look forward to having time to consider them,” he added.Varadkar believes new leader is in better position at next election

In his speech, Varadkar added that he was proud that the country had become “more equal and more modern in terms of children’s rights, the LGBT community, women’s equality and their bodily autonomy”.

Last month he unveiled a historic power-sharing deal with the Indian-born British prime minister, with Varadkar and Rishi Sunak agreeing that a “stable, effective and successful” Northern Ireland – the UK’s Part, which borders Ireland – will benefit from Britain’s very close relationship with Ireland.

Varadkar first led Ireland from 2017 to 2020, before serving as Deputy Prime Minister Tánaiste from 2020 to December 2022. He has been signing the “rotating Taoiseach” deal that underpinned a failed three-party alliance with the IRA with the Greens.

After a party leadership contest, a new Prime Minister will be in place when the Irish Parliament reconvenes after Easter next month. Varadkar said he planned to continue serving as MP for Dublin West.

His announcement on Wednesday will not automatically trigger a general election in Ireland, which must be held before March 2025, five years after the last election. Meanwhile, Irish political parties are facing local government and European Parliament elections in June.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin paid tribute to Varadkar, adding that he was “very surprised” to learn of Varadkar’s resignation on Tuesday night.

“I would like to take this opportunity again to wish him all the best in his future personal and professional life,” he said.

Varadkar acknowledged that “there are areas where we have been less successful”, adding: “I hope you will forgive me if I ask anyone else to point these issues out on a day like this.”

Attention will now turn to Varadkar’s successor, with several of the party’s ministers expected to be in the running, including Pascal Donoghue, Simon Harris, Simon Coveney and Heather Humphrey Sri Lanka. In the meantime, he will remain as leader until his successor is in place.