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| Europe |
| 'I am no longer the best person for the job': Leo Varadkar QUITS as Irish PM for 'personal and political reasons' in emotional speech days after suffering crushing referendum defeats |
| 2024-03-22 |
| [Daily Mail, Where America Gets Its News] Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar is to stand down and also relinquish his role as the leader of the governing centre-right Fine Gael party, citing 'personal and political reasons' behind his decision. 'I am no longer the best person for the job' assumes he once was Varadkar's departure as head of a three-party coalition does not automatically trigger a general election and he could be replaced by a new Fine Gael leader, with a leadership contest targeted for early April. It comes after the government was resoundingly beaten in two referendums on proposed changes to the Irish constitution. He has faced growing discontent within Fine Gael as of late, with ten of the party's lawmakers, almost a third of the total, having announced they will not run for re-election. Pundits called the move, just 10 weeks before Ireland holds European parliament and local elections, a 'political earthquake'. The country must also hold a general election within a year. The Taoiseach faced staunch criticism from members of the coalition just days ago following a major defeat in referendums on amending the Irish Constitution's language related to women in the home and the definition of families. The proposal would have expanded marriage to include 'durable relationships' such as cohabiting couples but it was rejected by 67.7 per cent. The Irish public also rejected a proposal which would have changed language about a mother's 'duty in the home' with a clause to recognise care provided by family members to one another. But this was also overwhelmingly defeated, with 73 per cent voting against it. Varadkar said the electorate had given the Government 'two wallops' as he conceded early that the proposals for change had been rejected. Varadkar's resignation comes ahead of local government and European parliament elections in Ireland in June. The next general election must be held by early spring next year. Over the last year, ten Fine Gael TDs (equivalent to MPs) have announced their intention to step away from politics at the general election, fuelling speculation of internal discontent within the party. |
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