When parliament next sits on April 9, Harris is expected to be voted in as Ireland’s youngest-ever prime minister. Simon Harris, at 37 years old, has been appointed as the new leader of the governing Fine Gael party, set to take over for the resigned Leo Varadkar. Harris expressed his gratitude for the appointment, stating it as the “absolute honor of my life.” Fine Gael’s deputy leader, Simon Coveney, praised Harris for securing the leadership in a comprehensive manner.
Harris outlined his priorities for his leadership, emphasizing Fine Gael’s stance on law and order, immigration policy, and the fight against populism. Internationally, he called for a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With no more than a year to save the coalition from defeat at parliamentary elections, Harris aims to steer the government towards success.
Formerly a minister for education, research, and science, Harris has been praised for his role in Ireland’s COVID-19 response. Although he has been involved in politics for most of his adult life, Harris has described himself as an “accidental politician.” Known for his online presence, he has been humorously labeled as the “TikTok taoiseach” by opponents in the Oireachtas.
Harris inherits a government facing challenges such as housing crises and increasing numbers of asylum seekers and refugees. Despite these challenges, Harris is determined to lead with hard work, responsibility, and humility. Prior to Harris, Varadkar made history as Ireland’s youngest-ever and first openly gay prime minister. Varadkar’s tenure, marked by economic growth, also saw him become the country’s first biracial taoiseach.
As Harris prepares to take the helm as prime minister, he faces the task of leading a three-party coalition government with limited room for major new policy initiatives. With his dedication and commitment to serving the Irish people, Harris is poised to bring about positive change for the nation.