Ireland – New PM

I am travelling this week, so I may not be able to do another posting until Sunday. However, given where this blog originates from, I thought that I should make a special effort to record a change of government.

In Ireland Bertie Ahern has stepped down today as Taoiseach (prime minister). He has been in office since winning the 1997 general election. He has headed a coalition government throughout, but one in which his Fianna Fáil party has always been the dominant partner. The first two administrations were with the Progressive Democrats (liberal), the current government includes the Greens as well.

Ahern’s announced his decision to step down about a month ago and it came as a real surprise. However, he had said that he would do so before the next election in 2012. Perhaps more saliently, he has been the subject of ongoing corruption investigations that have been gaining more and more media attention of late.

His successor is Brian Cowan. He was the Finance Minister previously. He was elected unopposed as the head of Fianna Fáil. There will be a reshuffle, but the coalition arithmetic is unlikely to change.

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