Varadkar successor
Simon Harris favorite to become head of government in Ireland
Simon Harris could become Ireland’s new head of government. photo
© Brian Lawless/PA Wire/dpa
Simon Harris is considered a possible successor to outgoing Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. Some other potential applicants are foregoing the position.
After the Irish Prime Minister’s surprise announcement of his resignation Leo Varadkar’s party colleague Simon Harris is the clear favorite to succeed him.
The 37-year-old officially announced his candidacy on Thursday evening. Several ministers and MPs from Varadkar’s Fine Gael had previously publicly spoken out in favor of Harris as the new party leader and thus the future Taoiseach, as the office of Prime Minister is officially called in Irish. Several traded applicants also announced that they did not want to apply and supported the incumbent Minister for Universities, Science and Research.
Varadkar announced his resignation on Wednesday, surprising his own party and his coalition partners Fianna Fail and the Greens. The 45-year-old referred to personal and private reasons for the step, which the media in the EU country described as a “political earthquake”.
Opposition calls for new elections
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Public Expenditure and head of the Eurogroup, and Heather Humphreys, Minister for Social Protection and Rural Development, two potential candidates decided not to run. Corporate and former Foreign Secretary Simon Coveney and Justice Minister Helen McEntee had previously announced that they would not be available.
The leader of the largest opposition party Sinn Fein, Mary Lou McDonald, called for a new election. The decision about the next head of government should not be made by one party, she said. After Varadkar’s announcement, all coalition partners immediately emphasized that an early election was not necessary. The next regular parliamentary election must take place no later than spring 2025.