Leo Varadkar is set to resign as Ireland’s prime minister and leader of his Fine Gael party in a move that will increase pressure on his coalition government to call a general election.
The Taoiseach will reportedly quit in a noon announcement in the courtyard of Government Buildings, bringing an end to his second stint as Ireland’s leader.
Mr Varadkar, 45, will step down after suffering defeat in a referendum held to remove sexist language about women’s duties in the home from the Irish Constitution.
It came after the first meeting of the Cabinet held after the double referendum in which voters also refused to expand the constitutional definition of the family beyond married couples.
But Mr Varadkar will also be aware that his centre-Right Fine Gael and coalition partners Fianna Fail have long lagged far behind Left-wing Sinn Fein in the polls.
Contest expected among several ministers
Ireland must hold its next general election, which Sinn Fein is expected to win, by March 2025.
Mr Varadkar’s departure as head of the three-party coalition does not automatically trigger a general election and he could be replaced by a new Fine Gael leader.
The Cabinet met this morning for the first time since the shock defeat of the referendum on family issues.
Mr Varadkar will stay on as Taoiseach pending the election of a new leader of Fine Gael.
Attention will now turn to his replacement with a contest expected among several ministers.
Paschal Donohoe, Simon Harris, Simon Coveney and Heather Humphreys are among the names speculated upon the race.
This is a breaking story. More follows.
Source: The Telegraph
