Leo Varadkar to step down as Irish Prime Minister and party leader

It comes days after he met Joe Biden in the White House

Leo Varadkar is to step down as Ireland’s prime minister and the leader of the governing Fine Gael party for “personal and political” reasons.

His surprise departure as head of the three-party coalition does not automatically trigger a general election and he is set to be replaced by a new Fine Gael leader.

The announcement comes ahead of local government and European parliament elections in Ireland in June. The next general election must be held by early spring next year.

Mr Varadkar, 45, became the first gay prime minister of the once staunchly Catholic country and the youngest person to hold the office when he first became taoiseach in 2017. He returned to the premiership in 2022 for a second term.

He said he believed his coalition could win the next election, but “after careful consideration and some soul searching, I believe that a new taoiseach and a new leader will be better placed than me to achieve that… after seven years in office, I don’t feel I’m the best person for that job anymore.”

He said he had enjoyed being Taoiseach, and that he was “proud that we have made the country a more equal and more modern place.”

“However, politicians are human beings and we have our limitations… we give it everything until we can’t anymore and then we have to move on.”

He added: “I know inevitably there’ll be speculation as to the quote unquote ‘real reason’ for my decision. These are the real reasons. That’s it. I have nothing else lined up, I have nothing in mind, I have no definite personal or political plans, but I’m really looking forward to having the time to think about them.”

Mr Varadkar once insisted he would not remain in politics beyond the age of 50, albeit he later said he regretted making that pledge.

The announcement comes after a few turbulent weeks for the coalition government, which was resoundingly beaten in two referendums on changes ministers had proposed to the Irish constitution.

The governing parties have suffered significant defeats in recent weeks (Getty)

The comprehensive defeats were a significant blow to Mr Varadkar and other coalition leaders who had campaigned for ‘yes yes’ votes in the plebiscites.

Over the last year, ten Fine Gael TDs have announced their intention to step away from politics at the general election, fuelling speculation of internal discontent within the party.

Cabinet ministers met in Dublin on Wednesday for the first time since the referenda defeats.

Sinn Fein, the main opposition party, has held a wide lead over Fine Gael and Fianna Fail in all opinion polls for the last two years, but the current coalition also stands a chance of being re-elected in 2025.

Contenders to succeed Mr Varadkar as Fine Gael leader include higher education minister Simon Harris, who was health minister during the pandemic, enterprise minister Simon Coveney, public expenditure minister Paschal Donohoe, and justice minister Helen McEntee.

Mr Varadkar, 45, has also just returned from the United States where he was involved in several high-profile engagements with US president Joe Biden as part of traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

He had told the president it is possible “to be for Israel and for Palestine” during a speech at a White House event.

He said the Irish people are “deeply troubled” by what is happening in Gaza because “we see our history in their eyes” through forced emigration, a denied identity and hunger.

But the taoiseach also said “we also see Israel’s history reflected in our eyes” through a diaspora “whose heart never left home” and had a nation and language revived.

He said that lessons can be learned from the peace process in Northern Ireland “particularly the concept of parity of esteem” and the key role of the United States.

Varadkar and Joe Biden during the St Patrick’s Day reception and shamrock ceremony in the White House (PA)

Mr Biden, who often celebrates his Irish heritage, paid tribute to immigrants who left Ireland for the US during his speech, saying: “The Irish spirit can never be overcome.”

Deputy Irish premier Micheal Martin insisted the resignation would not prompt an early general election.

“To be honest, I'm surprised, but I want to take the opportunity to thank him sincerely,” he told reporters. “We got on very well. We had a strong personal relationship, the three leaders had, which I think was important in terms of the continuity and stability of the government.

"And I want to take this opportunity again to wish Leo the very best in his personal life and in his career into the future.”

He added: “We will work with the newly elected leader of the Fine Gael Party in terms of continuing the coalition, and I've been very consistent from the very beginning that my view is the government should go full term, and that remains my position as of today - a lot of work to be done and we're going to continue to focus on getting that work done.”

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan paid tribute Varadkar as “an energetic and committed leader.”

“I would like to offer my good wishes to Leo as he prepares to depart the taoiseach's office,” he said. “He has served the country well and can be proud of the contribution he has made to Irish political life.”