Simon Harris is set to make history as Ireland’s youngest next prime minister, as the governing Fine Gael party has named him as its leader in an uncontested election.
The 37-year-old expressed his gratitude, calling it the “absolute honour of my life” to be chosen as party leader on Sunday. His ascent to the country’s highest office is anticipated to be ratified when the Irish parliament reconvenes early next month.
He will succeed Leo Varadkar, who announced his resignation on Wednesday, a move that political analysts dubbed a “political earthquake” within the EU member state.
“My reasons for stepping down now are personal and political, but mainly political,” Varadkar stated, without providing further details.
Shortly after Varadkar’s announcement, Harris garnered endorsements from a majority of Fine Gael party colleagues for a leadership bid, leading potential rivals to withdraw from contention.
Commencing with the closure of nominations at 1300 GMT on Sunday and with no challengers emerging, party official Willie Geraghty declared Harris as the winner just hours later at a convention held in Athlone, located west of Dublin.
He outlined his intention to pursue a “more planned and sustainable” immigration policy, aiming to address heightened tensions surrounding the issue, while vowing to combat the dangers of populism.
On the international stage, he advocated for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and condemned Russia’s “horrific illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
Simon Harris, born in 1986, was raised in a small town near Dublin, where his early exposure to politics began while advocating for disability services for his autistic brother.
At the age of 16, he joined the youth branch of Fine Gael.
Remarkably, he was elected to parliament at the age of 24 in 2011 and assumed the role of Minister for Health in 2016, making him one of the youngest ever to hold the position at just 29 years old.
Reflecting on his unconventional career trajectory, Harris admitted in a 2022 interview with Hot Press magazine, “In many ways, my career has been a bit odd… life came at me a lot faster than I expected it to.”
Described by a Fine Gael party colleague as possessing “huge energy and huge ambition,” Harris is set to become Ireland’s youngest ever “taoiseach” (pronounced “tee-shock,” meaning “chieftain” or “leader”), surpassing Leo Varadkar, who assumed the role at the age of 38 in 2017.
Upon assuming office, the new taoiseach will confront significant challenges, including addressing housing and homelessness crises amidst mounting criticism of government policies on asylum seekers.
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