NEW DELHI: Smooth handover of power midway in coalition deals is a risky proposition in this part of the world, but not in Ireland as Leo Eric Varadkar was sworn in as Ireland’s prime minister on Saturday. This is his second stint as PM; he first occupied the hot seat in 2017.
The 43-year-old Varadkar is an Irish Fine Gael leader who served as deputy PM and minister for enterprise in the outgoing government since 2020. He succeeded Michael Martin, who will function as deputy PM under Varadkar. Eighty-seven members of Irish Parliament voted to elect Varadkar as PM, while 62 were against it.
On June 26, 2020, a first-ever coalition government was formed that comprised Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party. As part of the arrangement, Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin was to hold office of PM until December 16 and then hand over the baton to Varadkar.
Varadkar has Indian roots as his father Ashok is from Maharashtra and mother Miriam is Irish. He is also amongst the few openly gay leaders of the world and lives with his partner Matthew Barrett, who is a qualified medical practitioner like Varadkar.
It was during a radio interview on January 18, 2015 (his 36th birthday) that Varadkar came out as being gay. “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 had said. He has also been an advocate of same-sex marriage.
He has studied medicine and completed his internship at KEM Hospital in Mumbai. Varadkar has been regularly visiting India, specially Maharashtra. His last trip to India was in 2019 with his partner.Sources said Varadkar would like to visit India as soon as possible depending on scheduling issues since India is already caught up with various events around the G20.
There are many issues that Varadkar will have to deal with in his present term. These includes issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol—the part of Brexit treaty which Varadkar negotiated in 2019 to keep the region within the European Union’s customs block—which remains unresolved.
Ireland is also grappling with a cost of living crisis, high energy bills and an influx of refugees from Ukraine.Housing will be one of the new government’s major policy priorities as it looks to deliver progress ahead of an election due by March 2025. The shortage of homes has been building up for a decade and with forecasts showing a decline in new construction next year. One of Varadkar’s first pieces of legislation will be a planning bill.