Leo Varadkar return as Irish PM for second time | World | News
Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar is to be confirmed to resume the leading role in Ireland for a second time after the resignation of the incumbent Michael Martin. Following a special sitting of the Dail parliament in Dublin in which Mr Martin tendered his resignation during an audience with Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins, Fine Gael leader Mr Varadkar is expected to resume office imminently. Setting aside almost a century of animosity, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, two parties forged out of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to share power together in 2020 after that year’s inconclusive general election result.
The Fine Gael leader is replacing Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin at the head of government under the terms of a coalition deal struck in 2020.
Mr Martin formally resigned at the presidential residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin on Saturday morning.
Mr Varadkar will be nominated taoiseach during a sitting of the Dail on Saturday morning.
The Fine Gael leader will then himself travel to Mr Higgins’ residence at Aras an Uachtarain where his appointment will be confirmed.
Cabinet colleagues will also be confirmed in office by the president later in the day before the new-look government is expected to hold its first meeting.
Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Ireland’s Green Party entered into a coalition agreement in 2020 after Sinn Fein secured the most first preference votes.
The dynamic between the three big parties is set to dominate the narrative of Irish politics leading up to the next general election, which has to take place before spring 2025.
Sinn Fein accused its two main rivals of conspiring to keep it out of power and has continued to heavily criticise the coalition administration in its role as the main opposition party in the Dail.
Mr Varadkar previously served as taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 at the head of a minority Fine Gael administration that relied on a confidence and supply arrangement with Fianna Fail to maintain power.
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