Irish shake-up: Ireland PM Leo Varadkar unexpectedly resigns

In a statement delivered this afternoon in Dublin, Leo Varadkar said his reasons for leaving were both "personal and political."

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Leo Varadkar, holding the Prime Minister seat for 7 years, held a press coference where he said that he believed a new leader "will be better placed than me" to gain seats for his party Fine Gael in the next general election.

"After seven years in office, I don't feel I'm the best person for that job anymore, there are loyal colleagues and good friends contesting local European elections, and I want to give them the best chance possible." resigned PM said.

He added: "On a personal level, I've enjoyed being Taoiseach... However, politicians are human beings and we have our limitations. We give it everything until we can't anymore. And then we have to move on."

Leo Varadkar, 45, has led the Fine Gael party since 2017 and served as Taoiseach - Ireland's prime minister - twice.

His first stint leading the country lasted from 2017 to 2020, before he took up the role as Tanaiste - deputy prime minister - from 2020 until December 2022.

He has been the Irish premier since then in a "rotating Taoiseach" agreement that underpinned his party's coalition with Fianna Fail and the Green Party.

Despite his resignation, there will not be an early election. A new Taoiseach is set to be in place when the Dail -Irish parliement- returns after Easter. He is set to remain as a TD - a member of parliament.