Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar suddenly resigns

Leo Varadkar, who made history as Ireland's first gay leader and first biracial prime minister , announced on March 20 that he would step down within weeks of a successor being chosen.

Mr Varadkar also announced that he would immediately resign as leader of the centre-right Fine Gael party, part of Ireland’s governing coalition. The 45-year-old leader has asked for a new party leader to be chosen by April 6, paving the way for a new prime minister to take office after the Easter recess of parliament .

Mr Varadkar said his resignation was for both “personal and political ” reasons, and he had no firm plans for the future, but he planned to remain in Parliament as a backbencher.

During his political career and two terms as Prime Minister – from 2017 to 2020, and again from December 2022 – Mr Varadkar has been at the forefront of campaigns to legalise same-sex marriage, passed in a referendum in 2015, and to repeal the abortion ban, passed in a vote in 2018.

“I am proud that we have made the country a more equal and modern place,” the politician, whose mother is Irish and father is Indian, told reporters gathered outside government buildings in the capital Dublin on March 20.

But this month he suffered humiliating defeats in two votes against proposed constitutional changes to redefine marriage and remove “sexist” language.

Mr Varadkar said he knew his resignation would “surprise many people and disappoint some, but I hope you will understand my decision. Politicians are human beings, and we have our limits” .

Minh Duc (According to AP, NBC News)

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