DUBLIN — Veteran politician Micheál Martin is poised to reclaim the position of prime minister of Ireland on Wednesday, as lawmakers prepare to officially endorse him as the leader of a coalition government.
This announcement comes nearly two months after an election where Martin’s Fianna Fáil party emerged victorious with the highest number of seats, though not enough to secure a governing majority on their own.
Following extensive discussions, the long-established center-right parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, have reached an agreement to form a coalition, with additional support from several independent lawmakers.
As per the coalition arrangement, Martin, aged 64, will serve as taoiseach — the Irish term for prime minister — for a term of three years, with Simon Harris of Fine Gael, the outgoing taoiseach, stepping in as his deputy. After this initial period, the two leaders will exchange roles for the remaining two years of their five-year term.
Lawmakers from both parties have ratified the coalition agreement, paving the way for Martin’s confirmation by members of the Dáil, which is the lower house of parliament, on Wednesday. Subsequently, he is expected to be formally appointed to office by President Michael D. Higgins before he proceeds to select his Cabinet.
In Ireland’s Nov. 29 election, the electorate displayed a notable divergence from a global trend that saw many incumbent governments ousted during 2024. Fianna Fáil captured 48 of the 174 available legislative seats, while Fine Gael secured 38. They have garnered the necessary support to govern from the primarily conservative Regional Independent Group, which will be awarded two ministerial positions in recognition of their backing.
Despite both parties sharing a broadly similar center-right political agenda, they are hindered by a century-old rivalry originating from opposing sides of Ireland’s civil conflict in the 1920s. After the 2020 election resulted in a near tie, they decided to collaborate, forming an alliance for governance.
This new coalition effectively sidelines the left-leaning party, Sinn Féin, which, despite winning 39 seats, will remain in opposition. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have opted not to cooperate with Sinn Féin due to the latter’s historical connections with the Irish Republican Army during the decades-long violence in Northern Ireland.
The incoming government is under substantial pressure to address the escalating issue of homelessness, which is largely driven by rising rents and property prices, while also managing an increasing influx of asylum seekers. With the cost of living — particularly the pressing housing crisis — as a central theme in the election, immigration has surfaced as a poignant and complex challenge for the nation of 5.4 million, historically characterized by waves of emigration.
