Prime Minister Leo Varadkar startled the nation on Wednesday with his declaration that he intends to relinquish his role as the leader of Fine Gael immediately and exit his position as the Government’s head by early April, a move that elicited strong calls from Opposition factions for an urgent general election. However, the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, along with the Green Party’s leader Eamon Ryan, asserted that the trilateral Coalition would persist in their operational roles. They also concurred on backing the incoming Fine Gael leader as Prime Minister.
Both gentlemen expressed their desire for the new leader of Fine Gael to guarantee that the Government would remain in power until next spring. Opposition heads unanimously called for a swift general election in response to Mr. Varadkar’s proclamation. Nonetheless, the overwhelming agreement amongst senior Government sources on Wednesday evening was to evade an early election at all costs. Some predictions suggested that one of the impacts of Mr. Varadkar’s resignation could be the derailment of the potential autumn election speculated for later this year.
The Coalition has the capacity to persist in power for an additional year, the final possible election day being March 22nd, 2025, although there were suggestions of early March being a more probable timeline, prior to the annual St Patrick’s day celebrations. Fine Gael will select a fresh leader in the forthcoming weeks, post which Mr. Varadkar is expected to step down as Prime Minister, presumably when the Dáil reconvenes after its Easter break, commencing Thursday. If agreed upon by all three party leaders, the Dáil will then induct the new Fine Gael leader as the Prime Minister, with the rest of the Government ratified via a vote.
Tributes poured in for Mr. Varadkar from his colleagues and Coalition counterparts post his declaration. Mr. Martin expressed best wishes for Mr. Varadkar both privately and professionally for the future adding, “This is a coalition bound by three parties, not personal charisma, and I remain devoted to carrying forward the Government, pursuing our mandate, and implementing the government’s action plan.”
Mr Ryan conveyed his goodwill to Leo as he’s about to step down from being the Taoiseach, acknowledging that he made significant contributions to Irish politics. He revealed that Leo Varadkar chose this juncture for his departure, and like Mr Martin, he highlighted that the ratification made at the inception of their government—a consensus among the three coalition parties—must persist under the new Fine Gael leader. This agreement is pertinent, especially in view of the critical role the government has to play, he affirmed.
In the Dáil, Sinn Féin’s leader, Mary Lou McDonald, stated that Mr Varadkar’s revelation signifies a crucial time for Irish politics. Ms McDonald asserted that it should be the citizens that decide who becomes the Taoiseach. She added that Mr Varadkar’s announcement inevitably leads to one outcome – a general election. “A new Government is necessary,” she suggested. Furthermore, Labour leader Ivana Bacik expressed that the existing government’s continuation is totally impracticable.
Aontú TD Peadar Tóibín criticised the handling of the Taoiseach position, claiming it was being treated in a casual and disrespectful manner. ‘We don’t require a simple rearrangement of the existing structure,’ Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit TD told the Dáil, joining with the call for a general election, an echo shared by the Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns.
It has emerged that Mr Varadkar informed some senior Fine Gael colleagues and the Coalition leaders about his intention the night before the announcement, but majority of people at Leinster House and Government Buildings were taken aback by it. Mr Varadkar announced his decision just after noon on Wednesday from the Government Buildings’ entrance, his voice shaking with emotion as he declared that his reasons for vacating the position are predominantly political but also personal.
“I am confident that the current Government can win the re-election. I am equally optimistic about my political party, Fine Gael, increasing its representation in the upcoming Dáil. More importantly, I am fully convinced this will be for the greater good of our nation, advancing our progress. It will also safeguard our past accomplishments while expanding upon them.
After much contemplation and introspection, I firmly believe that the cause will best be served by a new Taoiseach. This person will be better armed than I am to fulfill this role – refreshing and emboldening the elite team, revitalising our political narrative and strategies, and overseeing their execution. Having served for seven years, I no longer deem myself the best candidate for this role.”