Simon Harris nominated by his party to become Prime Minister

A thirty-year-old at the head of Ireland. Simon Harris was elected on Sunday January 24 as leader of the Irish center-right Fine Gael party, which paves the way for him to become the youngest Prime Minister of his country at 37. This election “is the honor of my life”reacted Simon Harris after the proclamation of the result by a party official during a rally in Athlone, west of Dublin.

The Minister of Higher Education was the only candidate to lead the party and succeed Leo Varadkar, who resigned on Wednesday, to everyone’s surprise, as head of Fine Gael and his post as Prime Minister. At 45 years old, the latter estimated “no longer the best person for the job”invoking “political and personal reasons” for this departure, a few weeks before the European elections and one year before the scheduled date of the legislative elections.

He will become Prime Minister on April 9

Fine Gael and its government coalition partners (Fianna Fail and the Green Party) form a majority in the Dail, the Irish parliament. Simon Harris will therefore be able to become Prime Minister on April 9 when parliament resumes.

In his first speech as party leader, Simon Harris said it was “time for Fine Gael to renew its commitment to the people”. “There are a lot of things to do in the coming months”, he said. He promised to support businesses, “especially small businesses” and of “making work pay”. He also said “proudly pro-European”.