Ireland’s governing party Fine Gael named Simon Harris as its new leader which will make him the youngest Taoiseach in the history of the country.
He is 37.
He will succeed former Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.
Other possible candidates for the party leadership, including Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney and the minister for public expenditure, Paschal Donohoe, stood aside, reported Sputnik.
Harris was the only candidate to put his name forward to replace Varadkar, and the nomination period closed at lunchtime on Sunday.
Varadkar recently announced his surprise resignation by citing ‘personal and political, but mainly political reasons’.
“It’s the absolute honour of my life to formally be here with you today in Athlone to accept the leadership of this great party, of our great party,” Harris was quoted as saying by CNN in his acceptance speech at a Fine Gael party conference in the Irish county of West Meath on Sunday.
“I want to thank every single person in this room and every single community you come from across Ireland. I want to thank you for your trust. And I want to promise and pledge to you today that I will repay that trust with hard work with blood, sweat and tears, day in and day out with responsibility, with humility, and with civility,” he said.
Harris was part of the Irish government and he was serving as the minister for further and higher education.
After his party named him for the top post, the leader posted on X: “It is the honour of my life to become the Leader of Fine Gael.”
“I promise that I will work hard with responsibility, humanity and civility. I love this country and I will work night and day to keep it safe and deliver for people,” he said.
Fine Gael wrote on X: “Congratulations Minister @SimonHarrisTD on being elected the new Leader of Fine Gael.”
