Simon Harris is likely to become the new leader of Fine Gael and the taoiseach because all the other top contenders have left the race.
The day after Leo Varadkar surprised everyone by saying he was quitting as Fine Gael leader, he also said he would step down as Taoiseach once a new leader is chosen.
Heather Humphreys and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said they don’t want the job, so now Mr. Harris can have it.
Helen McEntee, who is the justice minister, said she is not going to run for a leadership position. Instead, Fine Gael politicians are starting to support Mr. Harris, who is the minister for further and higher education.
One of those was Ms McEntee herself, who said Mr Harris is a great co-worker and good at talking to people.
She said on X that she knows he will bring a lot of energy to this important job.
Mr Harris is likely going to say he wants to be the leader on Thursday.
If Harris replaces Mr. Varadkar, he would become the youngest ever leader of the country at 37 years old, taking the title from his predecessor.
Patrick O’Donovan, a minister for Fine Gael, is supporting Mr.
He said, “I believe Fine Gael has plenty of time and opportunity to rebuild and focus on important issues before the next election. I think Simon is the best person to lead that effort. ”
Both Fine Gael and their biggest partner, Fianna Fail, are behind the main opposition Sinn Fein party in the polls.
The person who becomes the leader will have a year to try to improve their chances of winning the next election, even if they are currently behind in the polls.
Other people who support Mr. Harris include Fine Gael politicians Neale Richmond and Frank Feighan, as well as senators Tim Lombard and Michael Carrigy, and MEPs Frances Fitzgerald and Maria Walsh.
Simon Coveney, the Minister for Enterprise who competed against Mr Varadkar in the last Fine Gael leadership contest, said on Wednesday that he will not be running for leadership.
Many bookmakers liked Mr Harris and many politicians supported him before nominations started.
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However, other candidates can still join the race until Monday.
Mr Harris became a member of parliament when he was 24 years old. He had been elected as a local councillor in his home county of Wicklow two years earlier, in 2009.
His popularity grew a lot when he was the health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, he worked as a lower-ranking minister in the finance department from 2014 to 2016.