Leo Varadkar, the Indian-origin prime minister of Ireland, has declared his resignation as the leader of the governing Fine Gael party, as reported by Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
Varadkar made an unexpected announcement on Wednesday, declaring his intention to step down as prime minister once a successor is chosen.
“I am resigning the presidency and leadership of Fine Gael and will resign as taoiseach [prime minister] as soon as my successor is able to take up that office,” Varadkar told reporters in Dublin.
He stated that he had urged the party to choose a new leader by April 6 to enable the election of a new prime minister after the Easter vacation of Parliament.
The 45-year-old Varadkar expressed that it was the right time for him to resign from the position.
“My reasons for stepping down now are personal and political, but mainly political,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.
“I have nothing else lined up I have nothing in mind. I have no definite personal or political plans,” he said.
Varadkar, who took office in 2017, became the youngest prime minister and the first openly gay individual to lead the nation, once known for its staunch Catholicism, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Under a rotational agreement established by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the two largest parties in a three-party coalition with the smaller Green Party, Varadkar resumed office as premier in 2022.
When Varadkar assumed office as Ireland’s Prime Minister in 2022, his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also extended his congratulations.
Through his official Twitter account, PM Modi expressed his appreciation for the historical ties, shared constitutional values, and multi-faceted cooperation between India and Ireland.
“Congratulations @LeoVaradkar on assuming office as Taoiseach for the second time. Highly value our historical ties, shared constitutional values & multi-faceted cooperation with Ireland. Look forward to working together to realise the full potential of our vibrant economies,” PM Modi had posted on X.
