Simon Harris becomes the youngest new Prime Minister of Ireland

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Simon Harris, aged 37 and leader of the Fine Gael party, elected as the new Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland by members of the Dáil (Irish parliament).

An Overview of the News

• Officially installed as Taoiseach on 9th April 2024 after receiving the seal of office from President Michael D. Higgins.

• Succeeds Leo Varadkar, who resigned as Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach in March 2024.

Key Points:

• Harris becomes the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Republic of Ireland.

• His tenure will extend until the general election scheduled for March 2025.

• Members of the Dáil voted 88 to 69 in favor of Harris as Taoiseach.

• The 3-party coalition government (Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and the Green Party) has been in power since 2020.

• This marks the third change in Taoiseach within less than four years for the coalition government.

About Simon Harris:

• Elected as the youngest Teachta Dála (TD), a member of Dáil Éireann, in 2011 at the age of 24.

• Held ministerial positions in the Irish government since 2016.