Amidst the animated cheers of countless party enthusiasts and members, Simon Harris was announced as the latest head of Fine Gael, and probable future Taoiseach, on Sunday afternoon in Athlone. He pledged his enduring diligence for the party’s revival and nation’s guidance, embodying the popular Churchillian sentiment of “blood, sweat, and tears.”
Despite the jubilant crowd in the vast banquet hall of the Sheraton Hotel, the reality is that Fine Gael is weary from over a decade in power, weathered by unforeseen events, and genuinely astonished by Leo Varadkar’s abrupt resignation, leaving the party desperately craving a boost.
It seems that Harris has a promising chance of delivering this much-needed revitalisation. The discussion centred around the core values of Fine Gael, with a renewed commitment to engaging with grassroots supporters, coupled with a palpable promise of vigour and fervour.
Insiders of Fine Gael suggest that Harris will most likely adopt Enda Kenny’s more nurturing approach towards party management rather than Varadkar’s more aloof style. Harris certainly understands what resonates with the party and made sure to highlight it – the strongest applause and the most prolonged standing ovation came when he voiced his disapproval of Pearse McAuley, labelled as a “police murderer”, having the national flag placed on his coffin.
“Reclaim it,” Harris urged, referring to the flag. His call was met with resounding approval from the crowd.
Harris recognises the importance of invigorating his party. But his most significant audience isn’t just those in the hotel halls filled with committed Fine Gael constituents. The general public and, more importantly, prior Fine Gael voters who have since defected are of paramount interest to Harris.
Armed with his message and vision, Harris will have a brief window in the coming weeks to converse with these vital groups. As a new Taoiseach takes office, their interest will inevitably be piqued, keen to hear his words. However, this window of opportunity will inevitably close, their attention shifting with time. Crucially, Harris has one chance at a first impression – the immediate weeks ahead will be severely influential for both his leadership and his term in office.
Simon Harris, in his initial role as leader, places greater emphasis on messages, both verbal and symbolic, rather than the never-ending political manoeuvre of imminent cabinet reshuffles. It is undeniable that Harris has party management responsibilities. His task has become harder with Simon Coveney’s declaration to participate in the forthcoming general election, a move that makes him difficult to exclude. In addition, Paschal Donohoe and Heather Humphreys are considered irreplaceable. Harris will face a situation common to all taoisigh – a lack of roles to satisfy everyone’s ambitions.
Though the intricacies of rearranging political positions often grab headlines, the public tends to stay indifferent as to who is allocated which position – a stark contrast to the politicians who are deeply engrossed in this process.
Alongside selecting his staff and colleagues, Harris has the job of building relationships with other Coalitions’ leaders. Early meetings will be facilitated by Harris’s decision to wait until the next year to initiate a general election, a previous point of disagreement under his predecessor’s leadershup.
On a larger scale, there needs to be mutual trust between him and the other leaders, particularly in guiding the transition from Government allies to election contenders. This is the impending reality that will overshadow Harris’s term as Ireland’s youngest leader from his first day until the forthcoming general election. Harris’s ultimate judgement will rest on the election outcomes.