Leo Varadkar

Leo Varadkar

TD
Leo Varadkar; TD
	Varadkar in 2022
14th Taoiseach
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 17 December 2022
President	Michael D. Higgins
Tánaiste	Micheál Martin
Preceded by	Micheál Martin
	In office; 14 June 2017 – 27 June 2020
President	Michael D. Higgins
Tánaiste	Frances Fitzgerald; Simon Coveney;
Preceded by	Enda Kenny
Succeeded by	Micheál Martin
Tánaiste
	In office; 27 June 2020 – 17 December 2022
Taoiseach	Micheál Martin
Preceded by	Simon Coveney
Succeeded by	Micheál Martin
Leader of Fine Gael
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 2 June 2017
Deputy	Simon Coveney
Preceded by	Enda Kenny
Taoiseach
Further ministerial offices
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
	In office; 27 June 2020 – 17 December 2022
Taoiseach	Micheál Martin
Preceded by	Heather Humphreys
Succeeded by	Simon Coveney
Minister for Defence
	In office; 14 June 2017 – 27 June 2020
Taoiseach	Himself
Preceded by	Enda Kenny
Succeeded by	Simon Coveney
Minister for Social Protection
	In office; 6 May 2016 – 14 June 2017
Taoiseach	Enda Kenny
Preceded by	Joan Burton
Succeeded by	Regina Doherty
Minister for Health
	In office; 11 July 2014 – 6 May 2016
Taoiseach	Enda Kenny
Preceded by	James Reilly
Succeeded by	Simon Harris
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport
	In office; 9 March 2011 – 11 July 2014
Taoiseach	Enda Kenny
Preceded by	Pat Carey
Succeeded by	Paschal Donohoe
Teachta Dála
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; May 2007
Constituency	Dublin West
Personal details
Born	18 January 1979 (age 45); Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Fine Gael
Domestic partner	Matthew Barrett
Education	The King's Hospital
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin
Website	www.gov.ie/en/biography/1a42d-leo-varadkar/

Leo Eric Varadkar (/vəˈrædkər/ və-RAD-kər; born 18 January 1979) is an Irish politician and physician. He has been the Taoiseach since 2022, previously serving in the role from 2017 to 2020. He was the Minister for Defence from 2017 to 2020. From 2020 to 2022, he was the Tánaiste.

He is the Leader of Fine Gael since June 2017 replacing Enda Kenny. He has served as Minister for Social Protection since May 2016. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) since 2007 for the Dublin West constituency.

Early career

In 2004 he was co-opted onto Fingal County Council and served as deputy mayor before his election to Dáil Éireann. He was promoted to the Front Bench by Enda Kenny as Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, remaining in this position until a 2010 reshuffle when he became Spokesperson on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

After the formation of the Coalition Government in March 2011, he was appointed Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. A cabinet reshuffle in July 2014 saw Varadkar appointed to the position of Minister for Health. During his tenure he became the first openly gay Irish government minister.

Following the formation of a Fine Gael minority government in May 2016, he was appointed Minister for Social Protection.

Taoiseach

2017 Fine Gael leadership election

After the resignation of Enda Kenny as Leader of Fine Gael in May 2017, Varadkar announced his candidacy for party leader.^[1] He faced Minister for Housing Simon Coveney in the Fine Gael leadership election. He won the election on 2 June 2017.

On 14 June, he was nominated as Taoiseach by Dáil Éireann and this nomination was approved by the President of Ireland.^[2]^[3] Varadkar became Ireland's first openly gay Taoiseach, as well as the youngest and the first of half-Indian descent.^[4]^[5]

Defeat

On 26 June 2020, it was announced that Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party had agreed to form a coalition government, marking the first time the two main Irish parties had formed a government together. As part of the agreement, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin held the office of Taoiseach until December 2022, while Varadkar took the position of Tánaiste. The pair then swapped roles after roughly two and a half years, with Varadkar retaking the position of Taoiseach for the remainder of the coalition's term. Martin was elected Taoiseach by the Dáil on 27 June.^[6]

Second term as Taoiseach

Varadkar beside his coalition partners Micheál Martin and Eamon Ryan in December 2022

On 17 December 2022, Varadkar was appointed as Taoiseach for a second time, following Micheál Martin's resignation to President Michael D. Higgins.^[7]

On 13 April 2023, Varadkar met with U.S. President Joe Biden at Farmleigh House during his four-day visit to the island of Ireland.^[8]

On 6 May 2023, Varadkar, along with President Michael D. Higgins, attended the Coronation of Charles III and Queen Camilla, marking the first time a serving taoiseach attended the coronation of a British monarch.^[9]

Personal life

Varadkar is openly gay.^[10]^[11] He is first openly gay cabinet member in Ireland.^[12]

His partner is Matthew Barrett.^[13]

Leo Varadkar Media

Health Minister Varadkar with Tánaiste Joan Burton at the opening of a unit at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, July 2014
Varadkar and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, delivering joint remarks in July 2017
Varadkar and US President Donald Trump in Shannon, Ireland in June 2019
Official portrait, c. 2020
Varadkar with U.S. President Joe Biden on St Patrick's Day in 2023
Varadkar alongside Jüri Ratas, the Prime Minister of Estonia, and Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, in 2017