Simon Harris (37 years old, married with two small children) has been confirmed by the Irish Parliament (Dáil) as the youngest Prime Minister in the country's history. Almost a total unknown in Brussels, Washington, Belfast and London, he defines himself as socially progressive and economically conservative. The party he leads, Fine Gael, is part of the European People's Party.
He is only guaranteed one year in power, until the holding of the next general election, scheduled if not advanced for March 2025, and in the face of which Sinn Féin (the former political arm of the IRA) commands clearly in the polls due to the housing crisis (apartments are in short supply, and those that are sold or rented have Manhattan prices), healthcare, infrastructure and the deterioration of public services. In recent years, Ireland has invested very little in these chapters, thinking that it would take longer to recover from the financial crisis, the impact of Brexit and the pandemic than has actually happened, and the result is a considerable attrition of the 'establishment and the search for alternatives by voters.
Known as the TikTok taoiseach for his mastery of social media, the son of a taxi driver and a teacher dedicated to educating children with disabilities, Simon Harris got into politics at a very young age by asking for help for a brother with Asperger's syndrome . After studying French and journalism, in 2011 he entered Parliament as the youngest deputy, and after a short time he was appointed Minister of Health. Currently it was Education.
After the unexpected resignation of Leo Varadkar as leader of Fine Gael, he deftly maneuvered to become his successor and inherit the post of Prime Minister, leading a coalition with Fianna Fáil (centre left) and the Greens . He assumes command of a country in transition, which has just defeated in a referendum a constitutional reform to modernize the definition of the role of women in society and the concept of family, with the camp irritated by measures to combat climate change and an advance of the extreme xenophobic right that resists the arrival of immigrants. Violent incidents have been recorded in recent months.
His rivals admit that he is "mechanically and logistically brilliant", but criticize him for the lack of a defined ideology and political identity. Harris says his aims are to “fight populism, curb Sinn Féin, build housing, ensure law and order, and equal opportunities. "And above all - he says - show everyone that Ireland is not today a second-class country".
