Ireland: Smooth power transitions in coalition deals are risky in this part of the world, but not in Ireland, where Leo Eric Varadkar was sworn in as prime minister on Saturday. This is his second term as Prime Minister; he took office in 2017.
Varadkar, 43, is an Irish Fine Gael leader who served as deputy prime minister and minister for enterprise in the outgoing government since 2020. He succeeded Michael Martin, who will serve as deputy prime minister under Varadkar. Eighty-seven members of the Irish Parliament voted to elect Varadkar as Prime Minister, while 62 voted no.
Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, and the Green Party formed Ireland’s first coalition government on June 26, 2020.
As part of the agreement, Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin would serve as Prime Minister until December 16 before handing over the reins to Varadkar.
Also Read: AIIMS cyber attack: Delhi Police to gather information on Chinese hackers through Interpol
Varadkar’s family background
Varadkar’s father, Ashok, is from Maharashtra, and his mother, Miriam, is Irish. He is also one of the world’s few openly gay leaders, and he lives with his partner Matthew Barrett, a qualified medical practitioner like Varadkar.
Varadkar came out as gay during a radio interview on January 18, 2015 (his 36th birthday). “It’s not something that defines me. I’m not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician or a gay politician for that matter. It’s just part of who I am, it doesn’t define me, it is part of my character I suppose,” he explained. He has also advocated for same-sex marriage.
Also Read: Iran Protests: Actress of Oscar-winning movie held for backing anti-regime protests
About Varadkar’s education
He studied medicine and completed his internship at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital. Varadkar has been visiting India on a regular basis, particularly Maharashtra. His most recent trip to India was with his partner in 2019. According to sources, Varadkar would like to visit India as soon as possible, depending on scheduling issues, as India is already occupied with various G20 events.
Varadkar will have to deal with a slew of issues during his current term. These include unresolved issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, a part of the Brexit treaty negotiated by Varadkar in 2019 to keep the region within the European Union’s customs block.
Ireland is also dealing with a high cost of living crisis, high energy bills, and an influx of Ukrainian refugees. Housing will be one of the new government’s top policy priorities as it seeks to make progress before the March 2025 election. The housing shortage has been building for a decade, and new construction is expected to decline next year. A planning bill will be one of Varadkar’s first pieces of legislation.
Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER
