Ireland’s parliament has elected Michael Martin as prime minister, 24 hours after scenes of chaos in the Dáil canceled his formal appointment.
Martin’s return to the role of Taoiseach comes after a group of regional independent TDs (MPs), who support his government, reached a compromise to delay talks to resolve the dispute. Agreed which should have led to a set piece ceremony. on Wednesday.
Calmly replacing the previous day’s rancor on the opposition benches, Martin pledged to be “open to constructive ideas” as leader of the centre-right coalition government.
He said: “As I look at Ireland today, it is clear that there can be a degree of cynicism towards politics and that we often reject the encouragement of others, especially those with whom we disagree. I reject this. I believe in the good intentions of those who seek to serve their communities – and I believe that politics remains a force for good and positive change.
Parliamentarians voted 95 to 76 in favor of the Fianna Fáil leader’s nomination as Taoiseach.
High on the new government’s agenda is the housing crisis, which has dominated local politics for the past few years, along with health, education, infrastructure and the economy.
On the international front, Ireland urgently needs to launch a diplomatic push in Washington to repatriate jobs and taxes paid by US multinational companies with European headquarters in Ireland to any measures taken by the Trump administration. To tackle the threat, including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, X and Pfizer.
The new cabinet will be confirmed later on Thursday but some surprises are expected in the coalition, made up of Martin’s centre-right Fianna Fáil party and Fine Gael, led by outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris. are doing
Martin will remain in the role for three years, with Harris taking over in November 2027, in a repeat of the novel clash with Fianna Fáil by Harris’ predecessor Leo Varadkar. Martin last served as Taoiseach from 2020 to 2022.
Harris will become deputy prime minister, with a stronger foreign affairs ministerial role to include international trade — a role already being dubbed “minister for Trump.”
Paschal Donohoe, a government veteran and president of the Eurogroup of EU finance ministers, is widely expected to return to the role of finance minister.
Helen McEntee, another TD who is internationally known for having burnished her credentials as Europe minister during the Brexit crisis, is expected to become education minister.
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Women are expected to get just four ministerial posts after the November elections, resulting in the lowest proportion of women parliamentarians in Western Europe, at 75:25 to men.
The way for a new government was paved when opposition leaders struck a deal with Harris and Martin to prevent a second day of rebellion in the Dáil.
In a historic show of unity, Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats and others derailed Martin’s formal election on Wednesday amid fierce protests over attempts by independent TDs to seat the government on the opposition benches. between
It meant Martin’s big day was left in tatters, with a ceremony for the president, Michael D Higgins, having to be abandoned.
In angry clashes, Martin accused the opposition parties of “violating the Irish constitution” while a disgruntled Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou Macdonald, accused Martin and Harris of a “religious ploy” to seize power. put
Azad, who has supported the government but was not earmarked for ministerial roles, protested that he had a legitimate right to sit in the opposition to represent his constituencies.
