2024 Fine Gael leadership election

2024 Fine Gael leadership election

Incumbent Leader Leo Varadkar

The 2024 Fine Gael leadership election is expected to take place in 2024 following the resignation of leader Leo Varadkar.

Background

File:Leo Varadkar TD (cropped).jpg

Leo Varadkar served as the Leader of Fine Gael from 2017 until his resignation in 2024

Leo Varadkar was elected leader of Fine Gael in 2017 and became the Taoiseach on 14 June 2017. At 38 years old he became the youngest person to hold the office, and Ireland's first openly gay head of government. He later served as Tánaiste from 2020 to 2022 before becoming Taoiseach again in December 2022.

In March 2024, two referendums were held on proposed amendments to the Constitution of Ireland. The Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023 proposed to revise the definition of family to include durable relationships outside marriage and the Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023 proposed to remove references to a woman's "life within the home" and "duties in the home" and add a new article on care within the family. Voters overwhelmingly rejected both proposed amendments, and the referendums were widely reported as a defeat for Varadkar.

On 20 March 2024, Varadkar announced that he would resign as Fine Gael leader immediately, and as Taoiseach once a successor is elected. In his resignation speech, Varadkar stated that the reasons for his stepping down were "both personal and political" and that he was not the "best person for the job anymore."

The election will take place before Fine Gael's Ardfheis on 6 April.

Electoral process

Rule 49 of Fine Gael's Constitution and Rules state that a leadership contest is decided by an electoral college.

The electoral votes are allocated:

• 65% to the Fine Gael parliamentary party (TDs, Senators and MEPs);
• 25% to ordinary Fine Gael members, including Young Fine Gael;
• 10% to Fine Gael local representatives (city and county councillors and members of Údarás na Gaeltachta).

As of March 2024 the parliamentary party consists of 55 members (34 TDs, 16 Senators and 5 MEPs).

Candidates require signatures of 10% of the parliamentary party, i.e. six signatures.

Party members had to be affiliated for at least two years to be eligible to vote.

Potential candidates

It has been speculated by several media outlets that Simon Coveney, Paschal Donohoe, Simon Harris and Helen McEntee are potential candidates for the election.