Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced his resignation on Wednesday, stating that he will step down as president of Fine Gael and as taoiseach once a successor is chosen by the party.
Varadkar expressed that his decision stemmed from a mix of personal and political reasons, believing that a new leader would offer better prospects for both his party and the current governing coalition, comprising Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, in the upcoming local and European elections in June. He aims for the new leader to be selected by April 6, facilitating the transition to a new prime minister after parliament’s Easter recess.
“When I became party leader and taoiseach [prime minister] back in June 2017, I knew that one part of leadership is knowing that the time has come to pass on the baton to somebody else, and then have the courage to do it. That time is now,” Varadkar told reporters outside government offices in Dublin.
“So I am resigning as president and leader of Fine Gael effective today and will resign as the taoiseach as soon as my successor is able to take up that office.”
Varadkar highlighted Fine Gael’s recent electoral setbacks and the decision of 11 party members of parliament not to seek re-election, indicating his belief that he is no longer the most suitable leader for the party’s future success. Despite his resignation from party leadership and the prime ministerial role, Varadkar intends to continue serving as a constituency TD for Dublin West and affirmed that he currently has no concrete personal or political plans.
Varadkar made history in 2017 as Ireland’s first openly gay and biracial prime minister, serving until 2020, and returned to the position in 2022 as part of a rotational agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. His leadership during Ireland’s post-Covid recovery received commendation from the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, which noted his contributions to economic growth and engagement with the business community.
