Leo Varadkar to stand down as Irish PM

DUBLIN — Prime Minister Leo Varadkar will resign as Irish leader next month, sending shockwaves through the political system and fanning expectations of an early election.

He made the surprise announcement after Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.

In a press conference outside the entrance of the prime minister’s office, Varadkar said he would quit as head of the ruling Fine Gael party immediately but remain as Taoiseach until his party holds its annual conference in  mid April, by which time a successor should be chosen.

“One part of leadership is knowing when the time has come to pass on the baton to somebody else, and then having the courage to do it. That time is now.”

Varadkar’s wholly unexpected exit from atop Ireland’s three-party government raises sudden doubts about the survival of the coalition. It has governed with few serious difficulties since mid-2020, with Varadkar rotating the top post with Fianna Fáil party leader and Foreign Minister Micheál Martin.

The next general election is required by February 2025 but could come sooner, with the main opposition Sinn Féin consistently leading in the polls.

The next general election is required by February 2025 but could come sooner, with the main opposition Sinn Féin consistently leading in the polls. | Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Varadkar’s planned departure follows an exceptional run of early retirement announcements from within his Fine Gael party, which has led all of Ireland’s past three governments since 2011. Already 10 of Fine Gael’s current 33 lawmakers in Dáil Éireann, the key lower house of parliament, have said they will not contest the next election.

Varadkar’s resignation follows a government humiliation in this month’s two-pronged referendum on removing sexist references from the country’s 87-year-old constitution. Voters overwhelmingly rejected both measures, with many criticizing the government’s proposed replacement texts as vague and problematic.

Varadkar said he wanted the three-party government to gain seats, not lose them, in the next election and remain in power.

“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. To renew and strengthen the team, to focus our message and policies, to drive implementation. And after seven years in office, I don’t feel I’m the best person for that job anymore.”