Ireland: Simon Harris elected new prime minister
Apr 10, 2024
Dublin [Ireland], April 10: Simon Harris has become Ireland's youngest ever prime minister, or taoiseach, after being elected to succeed party colleague Leo Varadkar.
The 37-year-old former health and higher education minister, best known for coordinating Ireland's initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, received 88 votes from lawmakers, with 69 against.
Fine Gael party leader Harris will now travel to the official residence of the president of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, where his appointment will be confirmed.
Harris' predecessor both as Fine Gael leader and taoiseach, Varadkar, abruptly stepped down last month citing personal and political reasons. Varadkar formally resigned at an audience with President Higgins on Monday evening, paving the way for Harris' election on Tuesday.
Harris takes charge of a coalition government which has less than a year until an election which could see the opposition left-wing, Irish Republican Sinn Fein take power for the first time.
But he will face the same deep-rooted problems, most notably a severe shortage of affordable housing and unease at record numbers of asylum seekers, that led to Fine Gael's stagnation under Varadkar.
A strict coalition agreement also leaves little room for major new policy initiatives.
Source: Times of Oman
