LEO Varadkar has been confirmed as the new leader of Fine Gael - and looks set to become the youngest Taoiseach in the history of the State aged just 38.

Frontrunner Leo battled for the coveted role against Simon Coveney, a 44-year-old father-of-three from Cork.

4 Leo Varadkar celebrates after he was elected Taoiseach Credit: PA:Press Association

The Dubliner won 70 per cent of the parliamentary vote after getting the 55 per cent of councillor's backing earlier on.

Overall Varadkar won the race with 60 per cent of the party backing him and becomes the 11th leader of Fine Gael.

The Fine Gael leadership race - and with it the fight to be Taoiseach - began in the middle of May after Enda Kenny confirmed the long-awaited date for his departure.

4 Varadkar and Coveney show unity after the final result Credit: PA:Press Association

Ireland's new Taoiseach is not expected to be formally confirmed until June 13 when the Dail resumes following a week long break.

Speaking after the vote, current Taoiseach Enda Kenny offered his "heartiest congratulations" to Deputy Varadkar on his election as Leader of the Fine Gael party.

"This is a tremendous honour for him and I know he will devote his life to improving the lives of people across our country.

"He will have my full support in the work that lies ahead.

4 The vote was being tallied from after 2pm Credit: Getty Images

“The most important priority has to be the continued progress of our country led by Fine Gael in Government. I know that Leo has the capacity to provide the leadership required in order to achieve this.”

“I want to also thank and pay tribute to Simon Coveney for making the Leadership Election a real contest.

"This has been a wonderful exercise in democracy for the Fine Gael party," he added.

4 Varadkar replaces Enda Kenny as Fine Gael leader and is likely to become Taoiseach Credit: PA:Press Association

Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin TD commented: “I wish to congratulate Leo Varadkar on his election as Fine Gael Leader. This is a proud moment for him and his family.

“Like many people I am glad that the long standing issue over the leadership of the Fine Gael party is now settled.

"Irish politics over the last twelve months has not been as productive as it could or should have been, and there is no doubt that the internal dynamic within Fine Gael has been the most influential factor in this."

He continued: “Fianna Fáil remains committed to delivering in full the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

“I look forward to meeting with the new Leader of Fine Gael... and delivering on the commitments in our three year agreement."

How the Fine Gael leadership vote is calculated The new leader of Fine Gael was decided in an electoral college system that gives the Fine Gael parliamentary party, made up of 73 TDs, senators and MEPs, 65 per cent of the vote.

The 21,000 rank-and-file members of the party have 25% and 235 local representatives 10 per cent.

As the first openly gay Irish Cabinet Minister, Mr Varadkar has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks of the party.

He was first elected a TD ten years ago, having joined Fine Gael while still in school.

In a radio interview in January 2015, on his 36th birthday, he revealed he was gay and was a prominent supporter of the Yes campaign in the same-sex marriage referendum the following May.

He kept tight-lipped on his leadership hopes in the days that followed Kenny's resignation, as nine Senators and 17 TDs gave him their backing on the first day of campaigning.

Varadkar's team also secretly launched a new campaign website - asking the public for help.

Supporters of Varadkar claim their man has the charisma to be the country’s next leader but Coveney insisted: “People are not looking for a Taoiseach with an X factor.”

Varadkar was tight-lipped in the early days of the campaign, but finally broke his silence to the Irish Sun on May 19 - revealing he was happy with how it had been going at that stage.

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Varadkar and Coveney then battled in out in four party hustings across the country last week.

Leo accused his fellow Fine Gael contender Coveney of being divisive and dishonest - but Coveney hit back as voting began.

But the writing was on the wall for Coveney from the start, as Leo cruised to victory, with the Housing Minister needing a massive vote from the party membership to claw back his rival's lead.

Varadkar's Fine Gael story so far Varadkar graduated from the School of Medicine in Trinity College in 2003 and spent several years working as a junior doctor in Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown before qualifying as a GP in 2010. He was only 20 and in his second year in medical school when he contested the local elections in 1999 — but he only scored 380 first ­preference votes and was eliminated on the fifth count. He was co-opted onto Fingal County Council in 2004, before being elected to Dail Eireann in the 2007 ­general election. Varadkar was immediately appointed as Fine Gael’s spokesman for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. He was re-elected in 2011 when Fine Gael came into power and he was made Transport Minister. In a cabinet reshuffle in 2014, he replaced James Reilly as Health Minister. He was returned to the Dail in the 2016 general election and was subsequently handed the job of Social ­Protection Minister.

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TheSun.ie is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video</s>Leo Varadkar has become the 11th leader of Fine Gael.

He has been deemed elected the Fine Gael party leader - and Taoiseach elect - having secured 60 percent of the total votes.

 

In his first speech as leader he thanked party members as Gaeilge for the high honour paid to him through election 'as leader of this historic party'.

He said, "I accept it with humility and am aware of the enormous challenges ahead. I am ready for those challenges, as are we, as a party."</s>The gay son of an Indian immigrant is set to become the next Prime Minister of Ireland.

Leo Varadkar has just been elected leader of Fine Gael and now has the job of holding together the socially conservative country's center-right coalition.

If he succeeds he will be the first openly gay Taoiseach - as Ireland’s prime minister is called - and also it's youngest at just 38.

It was on a Sunday morning in 2015 that Mr Varadkar, then Health Minister, told the country he was a gay man during a radio interview.

It was remarkable not just for being a milestone - he was the country's first gay minister - but for its timing, coming in the middle of a fractious national debate on Gay Marriage

Mr Varadkar, the son of an Indian immigrant doctor, will become only the fourth openly gay national leader in modern history.

While his politics would best be described as conservative, he tries to portray himself as beyond party politics and the face of a new, liberal and progressive Ireland.

Comparisons to leaders like France's Emmanuel Macron or Canada's Justin Trudeau are often made, by the Irish media and the excitable Mr Varadkar himself.

When the result of the referendum oh Gay Marriage was announced, the trained doctor declared: "To me this had the feeling of a social movement or a social revolution."

But like many of the modern liberal politicians to whom he is compared Mr Varadkar has a limit record of success in government.

Periods as both Transport Minister and Health Minister were marked, his critics say, by competence not reforming zeal.

But according to his ministerial colleague and supporter Joe McHugh, Mr Varadkar has brains, communication skills and a willingness to learn.

"He has a craving to try and understand things," he told the Irish News.

"No-one is going to know everything. And there is a humility there. He will accept that if he's successful.

"He will have that awareness, that emotional intelligence as some people call it, to know that he still has a lot to learn."

He is attacked by the left in Ireland's parliament as an austerity politician - who fails to connect with real peoples lives.

Mr Varadkar's promised a reform agenda - including a referendum on introducing a limited form of abortion- will wrestle with his history of fiery right wing criticism and the unstable coalition he must hold together.

With Ireland likely to play a key part in Britain's ongoing negotiations with EU over Brexit , Mr Varadkar may be unknown in the UK at the moment but he won't be for long.</s>Ireland’s governing Fine Gael party has elected Leo Varadkar, the gay son of an Indian immigrant, as its new leader and the country’s likely next prime minister.

Mr Varadkar defeated rival Simon Coveney in a contest to replace Enda Kenny, who resigned last month. He won 60 per cent of the votes.

Mr Coveney won the votes of a majority of party members,

But Mr Varadkar was backed by most politicians and local representatives to give him victory under the centre-right party’s electoral college system.

He is highly likely to become prime minister in Ireland’s coalition government, although not immediately.

Mr Kenny will remain for a couple of weeks while Mr Varadkar holds talks with other members of the Fine Gael-led coalition government.

At 38, Mr Varadkar will be Ireland’s youngest leader, as well as the first from an ethnic-minority background and the first openly gay leader.

Mr Kenny, who did not turn up to the count, offered his “heartiest congratulations” to Mr Varadkar in statement.

“This is a tremendous honour for him and I know he will devote his life to improving the lives of people across our country,” he said.

Mr Kenny said he would provide a “brief but appropriate period” for Mr Varadkar to engage with other parties and groupings about leading the country.

He announced last month he was stepping down after repeated calls for him to stand aside after 15 years at the helm of the party and six years in charge of government.

Mr Varadkar, Ireland’s first openly gay cabinet minister and the son of an immigrant doctor, had been the clear favourite to replace him.

The 38-year-old from Dublin battled for the coveted role against Mr Coveney, a 44-year-old father-of-three from Cork.

Prior to the vote, Mr Kenny sent a series of messages on Twitter to send good wishes to both men, telling them they had energised the party.

“I remember this day almost 15 years ago and the sense of excitement & possibility,” he said.

“I pledge my full support to whoever is elected, in the important work at government level, to which the new leader will have to dedicate...their life in service of the people of this great Republic. My enduring belief in the potential of this country is boundless.”

Fine Gael politicians and members voted for the new party leader this week. The ballot is decided in an electoral college system that gives the parliamentary party, made up of 73 TDs, senators and MEPs, 65 per cent of the vote. Several thousand rank-and-file members of the party have 25 per cent and 235 local representatives 10 per cent.

Ireland’s new Taoiseach is not expected to be formally confirmed until 13 June when the Dail parliament resumes.

Among Mr Kenny’s final official overseas engagements will be a two-day trade mission to Chicago next week and the centenary commemoration of the start of the Battle of Messines in the First World War where soldiers from all over Ireland fought together.</s>The governing party of Ireland Fine Gael has named Leo Varadkar as its new leader on Friday, which means that the openly gay, 38-year-old son of an Indian immigrant will succeed Enda Kenny as prime minister. Varadkar is expected to be voted in officially when parliament next sits on June 13. He will be the first gay PM of the once deeply Catholic country and the youngest person ever to hold the office.</s>Leo Varadkar has become the 11th leader of Fine Gael.

He has been deemed elected the Fine Gael party leader – and Taoiseach elect – in the past few minutes – having secured 60 percent of the total votes.</s>Ireland’s governing Fine Gael party on Friday elected Leo Varadkar, the gay son of an Indian immigrant, as its new leader and the country’s likely next prime minister.

Varadkar defeated rival Simon Coveney in a contest to replace Enda Kenny, who resigned last month.

“If my election as leader of Fine Gael today has shown anything, it is that prejudice has no hold on this republic,” Varadkar said after his victory was announced in Dublin.

Coveney won the votes of a majority of party members, but Varadkar was backed by most lawmakers and local representatives to give him victory under the centre-right party’s electoral college system.

He is highly likely to become prime minister in Ireland’s coalition government, although not immediately. Kenny will remain in place for a couple more weeks while Varadkar holds talks with other parties and independents propping up the Fine Gael-led government.

His confirmation as Taoiseach — Ireland’s prime minister — would come when the lower house of parliament resumes after a break on June 13.

At 38, Varadkar would be Ireland’s youngest prime minister, as well as the first from an ethnic-minority background and the first openly gay leader.

Varadkar was born in Dublin in 1979, the son of an Indian doctor and an Irish nurse. He came out publicly as gay in the run-up to a 2015 referendum that legalized same-sex marriage in Ireland.

If confirmed as prime minister, Varadkar will lead a country still emerging from the shadow of the 2008 global financial crisis, which hit the debt-fueled “Celtic Tiger” economy particularly hard.

He also will have to steer Ireland during complex divorce negotiations between Britain and the EU. Brexit has major implications for Ireland, the only EU country to share a land border with the United Kingdom.

Varadkar said he was “aware of the enormous challenges ahead. I’m ready for those challenges, as are we as a party.”</s>DUBLIN — When Leo Varadkar's Indian father, Ashok, moved to Ireland in the 1970s, he chose one of Western Europe's most socially conservative countries to call home.

Thirty-eight years later, his youngest child is set to become the once-staunchly Catholic country's first openly gay prime minister, its first of Indian descent and the youngest person ever to hold the office.

Varadkar's election as leader of the governing Fine Gael party on Friday means he will almost certainly succeed Enda Kenny as prime minister in the coming weeks, marking another symbolic moment for Ireland.

"If somebody of my age, of my mixed race background and of all the things that make up my character can potentially become leader of our country, then I think that sends out a message to every child born today that there is no office in Ireland that they can't aspire to," Varadkar told Newstalk radio this week.

The fact the milestone of electing a gay premier is barely mentioned in local media and has taken place -- in the words of one former government minister -- "without anybody batting an eyelid" shows just how far Ireland has come.

Instead, after six years of Kenny's steady stewardship, the focus has been on the stark change of style likely to follow the election of a minister known as a straight talker. Colleagues giddily proclaim that their new leader has the 'X Factor'.

Varadkar had not been born when Kenny, 66, was first elected as a member of parliament and comes from the generation hit hardest by Ireland's economic meltdown. He owned an apartment that fell into negative equity at the turn of the decade.

He will also be a year younger than France's Emmanuel Macron when he attends his first EU leaders summit later this month. But Varadkar has been quick to point out that the favorite to become Austria's new prime minister, Sebastian Kurz, is eight years younger.

"He's a once-in-a-generation politician," said Fine Gael member of parliament Jim Daly, echoing the comments of most of his colleagues who have placed high hopes in Varadkar.

Such a dramatic change of style could go two ways, analysts warn. Varadkar's tendency to shoot from the hip can backfire. As a novice minister he said Ireland would likely need a second bailout six months after signing its 2010 EU/IMF package.

Colleagues were furious and Ireland went on to exit the bailout on schedule in 2013.

"When you're Taoiseach (prime minister), you can't speak as open and freely as when you're a maverick, straight-shooting minister. If he doesn't temper his more colorful contributions, that could actually become a liability quite quickly," said Theresa Reidy, a politics lecturer at University College Cork.

She said that although he has held three cabinet post since 2011, Varadkar is relatively inexperienced. With the exception of Kenny, every prime minister since the 1960s either served as finance or foreign minister prior to taking office.

Kenny sat in parliament for 35 years before his elevation. Varadkar was first elected in 2007.

Seen as being on the right wing of the centrist Fine Gael, Varadkar also upset Ireland's left with a recent publicity campaign highlighting social welfare fraud.

And his management style will be tested by Fine Gael's weak minority government that is backed by independent lawmakers and facilitated by the main opposition party.

As someone who once described himself as not being "a natural people's person", the trained doctor will need a good bedside manner.

"We don't really know how he will react under pressure and it is different when you're Taoiseach," Reidy said.

Follow NBC Out on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram</s>Leo Varadkar is on course to succeed Enda Kenny as Ireland's prime minister after the ruling Fine Gael party elected the 38-year-old as leader.

The former social protection minister will be the Catholic country's first openly gay prime minister, its first of Indian descent and the youngest person ever to hold the office.

He received the publicly declared support of almost two-thirds of the parliamentary party, who account for 65 percent of the vote,

On his 36th birthday in January 2015 during an interview on Ireland's RTÉ Radio, Mr Varadkar spoke publicly for the first time about being gay.

He said: 'It’s not something that defines me. I'm not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician or a gay politician for that matter.

'It’s just part of who I am, it doesn't define me, it is part of my character.'

The announcement made him the first openly gay cabinet member in Ireland.

Varadkar was a prominent advocate of the same-sex marriage referendum.

His partner, Matthew Barrett, is a doctor at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.</s>The future Taoiseach has made a lot of promises on how he hopes completely overhaul Fine Gael

Leo Varadkar pledged to make Fine Gael a fighting force again in his campaign for the leadership of the party he has now won.

The Minister for Social Protection Varadkar and likely Taoiseach published detailed plans to "energise Fine Gael", give power back to its members and restore it as an electoral fighting force.

 

His Taking Fine Gael Forward plan will give party members a real input into crucial decisions like whether to enter government, and real input into policy formation. Conventions to select candidates will be fair and well organised and we will launch a national recruitment drive to attract new members.

 

“Fine Gael is a great party. We founded the State, oversaw crucial advances in economic and social policy and were called on to save our country during our recent, darkest crisis. This has given us the confidence and courage to be ambitious. However, nothing is certain in politics. If the right decisions are taken, we can lead this Government and the next. If the wrong decisions are taken, we will be back into survival mode. For parties to survive and prosper they must continuously adapt and modernise.

 

“I want to democratise the party, engage with members, and organise and mobilise to connect with a wider public. We will listen to their interests, concerns and views and secure their confidence and support.

 

“Gaining new support must be a key priority for the new Leader of Fine Gael. I believe I am best placed to do that. Fine Gael should be a party that can attract votes in Castleknock and Clondalkin, Dungarvan and Doohoma, not because we try to be all things to all people but because there are people in all areas and all walks of life who share our values.”

 

Below are a range of his ideas:

 

I. Democratising the Party

Letting members decide on Government – The formal decision for Fine Gael to enter Government will be made by the party as a whole, as is the case in other parties.

Shaping a Dynamic Political Programme - The traditional but outdated party manifesto will be replaced with a rolling ‘Political Programme’ that details Fine Gael’s position on the key issues of the day.

Annual Árd Fheis - There will be an Árd Fheis every year. We should not be afraid of good debates, opposing views and open votes.

Annual Policy Conference - Every year elected public representatives will meet at an Annual Policy Conference. A delegation from each constituency will also attend.

Stronger links between elected members - The Parliamentary Party Chairman will attend the weekly pre-Cabinet meeting of Fine Gael Ministers.

 

II. Engage our members

New Groupings and social networks – These could include: FG SME group, FG Young Farmers, FG Inclusion, FG Environment, FG LGBT, FG Education, FG for the Arts etc.

Tapping into talent and experience – Party members will be able to offer their skills and talents to the Party through a new database.

Griffith-Collins Summer School - The first one shall be held in Cork this August to coincide with the Béal na mBláth Collins commemoration. It will be open to members and non-members.

 

III. Organise and Mobilise

Counties & constituencies with no TD – Each county and constituency will have a specific plan to restore Dáil representation. Local area representatives will be appointed where appropriate, with visits organised by the Taoiseach and Ministers.

Conventions: early, open and fair – We will hold conventions once the Boundary Commission report is published. These will be well organised and open to scrutiny, with a dispute resolution process to avoid rancour or recourse to the courts.

Sub-constituency organisation - The existing organisational structure below constituency level will be reviewed by the

Executive Council and some areas may move to district structures, with others remaining at local level.

Diversity & Inclusion - We need to apply a new approach to encourage new citizens to stand as Fine Gael candidates.

Recruitment Drive – We will hold a national recruitment drive to expand our membership, particularly in cities and towns throughout the country. People who don’t wish to become full members will be able to register as supporters.

Young Fine Gael – we need to ensure that YFG’s ideas are heard and listened to at Party Leadership level and that of Government.

Deepen our engagement with the European People’s Party – Involvement with the EPP will be extended to the wider party membership.

Develop greater links across the border – Cross-border Ministerial links should be replicated across the party membership.

The Cosgrave Society – Former Oireachtas Members have enormous expertise and experience. This new society will allow them to mentor up-and-coming talent and assist Ministers and constituencies.

Intern Programme – This will offer placements in Headquarters and constituency offices.

Focus on the next Local & European Elections within the party - It's crucial that we prepare for the 2019 Local and European elections with clear targets for each local authority. Success locally breeds success nationally.

General Secretary – In line with modern practice, new appointments as General Secretary, when the position next falls to be filled, will serve a maximum term of 5 or 7 years.

Education and Information Department – This will be based in Fine Gael HQ offering courses to party members, candidates and public representatives on legislative affairs, economics, legislative affairs and media.

Reclaiming our History – We will bring back ‘United Ireland Party’ as a tag line for our party, and mark special events like the foundation of the State, Cumann na nGaedheal, and the declaration of a Republic. In the present day, this slogan will refer to our aspirations for the whole island: north/south, rural/urban and young/old.
Leo Varadkar becomes the new party leader of Fine Gael, after winning 51 of 73 votes in the parliamentary party, and is expected to become Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, which would make him the youngest and first openly gay man to be Taoiseach, as well as being the first of half-Indian descent.