Simon Harris is set to be formally appointed as Ireland’s prime minister by parliament on Tuesday, succeeding Leo Varadkar who resigned abruptly last month citing personal and political reasons. The centre-right Fine Gael party, a part of the governing coalition, chose the 37-year-old Harris as its leader through an uncontested election following Varadkar’s departure. Pledging to rejuvenate and “reset” his party, Harris outlined his plans to steer Fine Gael back towards its “core values” such as supporting business, agriculture, and law enforcement during a weekend conference with party members.
Harris, once appointed, will become Ireland’s youngest ever “taoiseach,” surpassing Varadkar, who was 38 when he assumed the role in 2017. Varadkar, still one of Europe’s youngest leaders at 45, stated that he no longer felt he was the “best person” to lead the country and announced his decision to step down. Emphasizing the human aspect of politics, Varadkar expressed his gratitude to his Fine Gael colleagues in a statement on March 20, acknowledging his limits as a leader.
Simon Harris’s ascent to prime minister represents a swift rise in Irish politics. He became involved with Fine Gael’s youth branch at 16 and quickly ascended through its ranks. Harris, elected as a county councillor at 22 and as a member of parliament at 24 in 2011, earned the moniker “Baby of the Dail” due to his youth. At 29, he was appointed as the health minister in 2016 and later served as the higher education minister from 2020, earning praise for his communication skills even from critics.
Harris’s active presence on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, has bolstered his visibility as a politician in Ireland. As he assumes office, Harris faces a daunting agenda, including addressing housing and homelessness crises and navigating criticism of government policies concerning asylum seekers. With his adept communication abilities, Harris will seek to revitalize his party, which currently trails in polls, ahead of upcoming key elections.
Ireland is scheduled to hold local and European parliament elections on June 7, with the next general election mandated by March 2025. Fine Gael, having slipped to third place in the 2020 general election, remains behind Sinn Fein, the leading party in polls, despite its absence from the governing coalition.
