The race to succeed Leo Varadkar as Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) looks to be over before it even began as Education Minister Simon Harris rallied substantial support to succeed his former boss as head of the ruling centrist Fine Gael party.
Rumours are still swirling in Dublin following Varadkar’s sudden exit from Irish politics this week citing a mixture of personal and political reasons. The departing globalist leader oversaw the Republic’s legalisation of abortion as well as a disastrous migration regime during his two tenures as prime minister.
Thirty-seven-year-old Education Minister Simon Harris is expected to be coronated as the Republic’s next Taoiseach before mid-April as other leading candidates ruled themselves out of the contest. The current Irish government consists of a three-party coalition of the Greens, the centrist Fianna Fáil, as well as Varadkar’s own centrist Fine Gael party.
At one time regarded as the ‘baby’ of the Irish Parliament due to his soft looks and age, Harris emerged into national politics through his autism advocacy work as well as his vocal support of the pro-EU cause during the debate over the Lisbon Treaty. He became a key ally to former Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Previously serving as Health Minister during the onset of the COVID crisis, Harris attracted media attention for his lack of understanding of medical matters, famously saying in a radio interview that there had been “eighteen other coronaviruses.” He was also accused of mishandling a cervical cancer testing scandal that contributed to the deaths of multiple women.
Pro-life groups in Ireland were quick to point out Harris had originally promised to campaign to keep abortion illegal when he was elected in 2011. He then went on to lead the campaign to legalise abortion in 2018.
There is very little ideological difference between Harris and his predecessor. The ruling government’s priorities on migration, the EU, and social issues are unlikely to be altered by the change in leadership.
