In 2007, during his inaugural week in the Dáil, Leo Varadkar showcased the characteristics that would essentially distinguish him as a political figure. He was only 28 years old when he launched a direct attack on Bertie Ahern, who had just celebrated his third consecutive election victory, during a Dáil debate. Varadkar branded Ahern as sly and manipulative, and questioned the validity of his personal financial story.
Varadkar equated Ahern’s actions with those of Liam Lawlor, Charles Haughey, Michael Lowry, and Ray Burke, a move which not only highlighted Varadkar’s own audacity but also solidified his reputation as a staunch Christian Democrat with strong ideological beliefs.
He admitted that Ahern might be remembered in part as a successful Taoiseach and yet argued that Ahern’s period in office was a wasted chance to make significant improvements, referring to eras of advancements like the Adenauer times in Germany or the years following WWII in America. Varadkar’s critical view of Ahern would later prove insightful.
As for Varadkar, it is yet too soon to fully evaluate his tenure as leader of the country. Nonetheless, we can already see that he’s likely to be regarded as a successful Taoiseach in certain respects, while simultaneously having failed in several crucial areas.
He has cited his success in managing the economy, achieving full employment, making social progress, and addressing challenges such as Brexit, Covid, the Ukraine conflict and the troubles in Gaza as achievements.
Contrarily, during his period as Taoiseach, he has been accused of overlooking record homelessness, escalating house costs and rent values, and a catalogue of unfulfilled promises on housing, most notably in his inability to deliver on an obligation to construct more residences and falling considerably short of the projected 50,000 homes per annum necessary to confront the enduring housing crisis.
Furthermore, despite a substantial funding into health services, the HSE appears to be persistently struggling with issues, as evidenced by the all-time high numbers of patients on trolleys.
In recent times, the issue of immigration has emerged as a significant hurdle on the post-Covid global political arena of the 2020s. Ireland has received over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and there has been a remarkable increase in asylum requests. With many young men left to seek shelter on the streets or in impromptu camps, the government is struggling to respond adequately. This situation has been compounded by the housing crisis, leading to vulnerabilities in the government’s immigration policy which has been capitalised on by far-right forces, creating further complexity in policy management.
Varadkar, a prominent figure in politics since his 20s and the child of an Indian GP and a nurse from County Waterford, announced his stepdown as Taoiseach after his 21st year in office and as he enters his third decade in the political arena. He pursued a career in politics while graduating in medicine from Trinity College Dublin.
Originally, Varadkar, in his 20s, espoused Christian Democratic values, advocated for a free market and was socially conservative. His belief in the free market principles has remained unchanged over the years.
He affirmed that Fine Gael should remain true to its founding values and should not forfeit its political principle in a quest for governmental positions. When engaging in government agreements, he insisted, they need to uphold their policy positions.
However, his social ideologies were revolutionised by his personal experiences in a rapidly transforming Ireland at the turn of the millennium, including his own self-disclosure as a gay man.
Varadkar earned a reputation as a straight-shooting politician during his tenure, an aspect that occasionally clashed with his Fine Gael colleagues, specifically citing the instance with Alan Shatter during the Garda whistleblower incident.
He was often associated with being intelligent, eloquent, policy-focused, and possessing clarity of thought and great ambition. The less flattering descriptions of Varadkar included being labelled as overconfident, premature, rough, and lacking sensitivity.
[Leo Varadkar: ‘I no longer consider myself the best fit for that role.’]
Varadkar found himself on the losing team when Enda Kenny and Richard Bruton faced off for leadership in 2010, however, he managed to secure a role on the Fine Gael front bench. As a cabinet member, his trajectory was uneven. While he showed capability in overseeing Transport, Sport, and later Enterprise, he joined the lengthy roll-call of health ministers who failed to effectuate meaningful change in the health department.
In 2017, when he was minister for the Social Welfare department, he headed an anti-fraud campaign with the slogan, “Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All.” This, coupled with his promise to lead for “the early risers” during his quest for Fine Gael party leadership, showed his flair for stirring up controversy. He overcame Simon Coveney to become Taoiseach in June 2017, despite losing the popular vote. Unfortunately, his personal electoral victories did not translate into party success, as Fine Gael lost almost 90,000 votes and 15 seats under his leadership during the 2020 general election.
Known for his social ineptitude, Varadkar has always struggled with public expressions of emotions, sympathy, and interaction – the arenas where most Irish politicians excel naturally. These shortcomings were evident during a visit to an Ethiopian refugee camp, where he had the demeanor of an uninterested teenager. Yet, it was obvious that the experience deeply touched him, revealed by his comments during the end-of-day interview.
His public show of emotion was, however, notably visible when he resigned steps from the Government Buildings, a rarity in his political life. Despite his social awkwardness, Varadkar’s knack for stating clear opinions and planned strategies balanced it throughout his career. His calm demeanor and control were evident while handling key issues including when the country legalized abortion, during vital Brexit negotiations, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the midst of his leadership, the party’s political victories have been somewhat inconsistent, almost leading them to become the opposition in 2020 due to the convoluted and inconclusive outcome of the election. Moreover, the planned retirement of 10 TDs prior to the ensuing election didn’t generate a positive outlook for Fine Gael, as they were already coping with a decline after ruling for 13 years. It’s unquestionable that the requirement for fresh inspiration to prevent a significant electoral loss must have contributed to his choice to step away at this moment.