London, March 20: Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar says he will step down as leader of the country soon as a successor is chosen. Varadkar announced Wednesday he is quitting immediately as head of Fine Gael party, part of Ireland's coalition government. He'll be replaced as prime minister after a party leadership contest. He said his reasons were “both personal and political”. Irish Prime Minister Concedes Defeat in Vote over Constitutional Amendments About Family and Women.

Varadkar, 45, has had two spells as taoiseach, or prime minister — between 2017 and 2020, and again since December 2022. He was the country's youngest-ever leader when first elected, as well as Ireland's first openly gay prime minister. Varadkar, whose mother is Irish and father is Indian, was also Ireland's first biracial taoiseach. Dublin Riots: Holiday Inn Express Hotel Set on Fire; Bus and Car Go Up in Flames as Anti-Immigrants Protests Turn Violent in Ireland After Stabbing Incident (Watch Videos).

Irish PM Leo Varadkar Resigns

“I'm proud that we have made the country a more equal and more modern place,” he said in a resignation statement in Dublin.

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