The World Briefly

March 21, 2024

Taking Stock

Ireland

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Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar resigned from his position as the head of government and stepped down as leader of his governing Fine Gael party Wednesday, a surprise announcement that shocked Ireland’s political elite and led many to wonder if the country would hold early elections, the Guardian reported.

Varadkar said he would resign as taoiseach – the official name of Ireland’s prime minister – as soon as his “successor is able to take up that office.”

He explained that his reasons were “both personal and political,” adding that the next taoiseach will have two months to prepare for the upcoming local and European elections, and up to a year before the next general election.

Varadkar, 45, became Ireland’s first gay prime minister in 2017 when he was elected as Fine Gael leader following the resignation of then-Taoiseach and party leader Enda Kenny. He was also the country’s youngest leader.

He had two spells as prime minister between 2017 and 2020 and again from December 2022 – the latter as part of a three-party coalition agreement that would rotate leadership between Varadkar and Fianna Fáil party leader Micheál Martin.

His decision follows other resignations within the Fine Gael party and a stinging defeat in this month’s double constitutional referendum, Politico noted.

The government had asked Irish citizens to vote on amending what they considered outdated references to definitions of a family, and women’s roles as caregivers, in the country’s 1937 constitution.

But voters rejected both referendums, with 67 percent voting “no” to changing the definition of families, and 74 percent against changing the wording of caregivers.

Many critics and voters attributed the loss to the vague and problematic language in the referendums. Following the vote, Varadkar accepted some of the responsibility for the loss.

Meanwhile, political observers questioned whether Varadkar’s move will trigger early elections.

The opposition party Sinn Féin demanded an early vote, saying that it was time “for fresh leadership,” the Irish Independent added.

The next general election is set to take place before February 2025, with polls currently showing Sinn Féin in the lead.

This story originally appeared in the March 21, 2024 newsletter, Listen to the Children.