The Dail Eireann or the lower house of Irish parliament on Wednesday voted to elect Fine Gael (United Ireland Party) leader Leo Varadkar. as new Prime Minister.
Varadkar, 38, was nominated as taoiseach (Prime Minister) after his predecessor Enda Kenny, who formally resigned on Monday, becoming the country’s youngest leader.
In Wednesday’s vote, Varadkar was elected by 57 to 50 votes, with 47 abstentions.
He got the support of his party and some independent TDs (members of parliament), which will guarantee him to form a minority government.
All TDs from Fianna Fail (Republican Party), Fine Gael’s main rival, abstained in the vote.
Varadkar will form a Fine Gael-led minority government with independent TDs.
He went to Aras a Uachtarain (official residence of the Irish president) to receive his seal of office from President Michael D Higgins.
He will then return to Leinster House, the seat of Irish parliament, and formally select his cabinet minister before leading them into the Dail Eireann later on Wednesday.