Simon Harris has been approved as the new leader of the Irish Fine Gael party, paving the way for the 37-year-old politician to become Ireland’s youngest prime minister, the BBC reports.

Simon Harris, an Irish government minister, was the only candidate to put forward his candidacy for party leader.

He replaces Leo Varadkar, who announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down as party and party leader.

“Becoming leader of Fine Gael is the honor of my life,” Harris said.

He thanked the party and those who elected him for their faith in him, adding that he would “reward this faith with hard work.”

Harris later told party members that “this is a time for Fine Gael to reboot, this is a time for Fine Gael to reconnect”.

Simon Harris is not expected to make any final decisions about his cabinet until the Dáil (Irish Parliament) reconvenes on April 9.

Nominations for Fine Gael leader closed at 1pm local time on Sunday. Harris was the only candidate for the position when nominations were closed.

Simon Harris, Ireland’s minister for higher and post-secondary education, was a clear shot at the top job after other ministers seen as potential contenders ruled themselves out. Ministers Helen McEntee, Paschal Donohoe and Heather Humphreys were among those who expressed their support for Harris.

Who is Simon Harris?

At the age of 37, Harris will make history as Ireland’s youngest Taoiseach – taking up the high office a year earlier than his predecessor in 2017.

He first entered the Dáil (the lower house of the Irish Parliament) more than a decade ago, aged 24, as the MP for Wicklow.

Harris rose quickly through the party ranks, gaining his first health cabinet post in five years in 2016.

In this role, he oversaw the Republic of Ireland’s vote to overturn the abortion ban and the country’s cervical cancer screening scandal.

He also led the initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic before being replaced when a new coalition government was formed in 2020.

Since then, he has served as minister for higher and post-secondary education, research, innovation and science, and briefly held the justice portfolio. [Sursa: News.ro]