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Higher Education Minister Simon Harris after his election as the new leader of the ruling Fine Gael party
Photo: Damien Eagers / EPA
After the surprising resignation of Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, the previous minister Simon Harris has cleared the crucial succession hurdle. The 37-year-old was elected as the new Fine Gael party leader on Sunday. This clears the way for his nomination as the country's new Prime Minister.
The election was "the absolute honor of my life," said Harris after his center-right party's vote. He was the only candidate to replace Varadkar, who unexpectedly resigned as Fine Gael leader and prime minister on Wednesday.
Harris was elected MP in 2011 at the age of 24 and has been in government since 2014. From 2016 to 2020 he was Minister of Health. He currently holds the position of Minister for Higher Education. He is expected to be elected head of government after the current parliamentary break in early April. At 37 years old, he would be the youngest prime minister in the country's history.
Varadkar cited both personal and political reasons for his resignation. His decision came a year before Ireland's scheduled general election and a week and a half after the failure of a referendum to rewrite a constitutional article on the family and the role of women. Critics had blamed Varadkar for the failure of the referendum.
hpi/AFP