Meet Simon Harris - Youngest prime minister in Irish history

Meet Simon Harris : Simon Harris (37) made history by becoming Ireland's youngest-ever prime minister in Irish history.  He vowed to infuse fresh ideas and vigor into his less than 12-month tenure, aiming to bolster the coalition government's efforts to thwart a potential electoral win by the left-wing Sinn Fein.

Simon Harris was chosen by the parliament on Monday to take over from former health and higher education minister Leo Varadkar, renowned for his pivotal role in managing Covid-1 stepped down unexpectedly last month. 

Harris's nomination was approved 88-69, having won the backing of the Green Party and Fianna Fail, two of his coalition's allies.

Days after former PM Varadkar's shocking resignation, the 37-year-old former minister of health and higher education--best known for guiding Ireland's early response to the Covid-19 pandemic--was elected head of the center-right Fine Gael party last month without facing any opposition.

"I do accept this nomination to serve as taoiseach [prime minister]," Harris said, according per media reports. 

"I commit to doing everything that I can to honour the trust that you have placed in me," he added.

Recognising the coalition partners in his new administration who backed his candidature, Harris stated that he plans to lead "in the spirit of unity, collaboration, and mutual respect."

At a party conference over the weekend, Harris vowed to revitalise and 'reset' his party, directing it back towards 'core values' such as advancing law and order, business, and agriculture, reports says. 

Who is Simon Harris? 

• Simon Harris is an Irish politician who has held various ministerial positions in the Irish government. 
• Simon is born on October 17, 1986, he became involved in politics at a young age, joining Fine Gael's youth branch when he was just sixteen years old.
• Harris was elected to the Irish parliament, known as the Dáil Éireann, in 2011 at the age of 24, representing the Wicklow constituency. Prior to his parliamentary career, he served as a county councillor at the age of 22.
• He was appointed as Minister for Health in 2016, during which he played a prominent role in managing Ireland's healthcare system and response to issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Harris served as Minister for Higher Education from 2020 onwards, where he focused on policies related to the education sector.
  

Harris is a member of the Fine Gael party, one of the major political parties in Ireland. 

- With inputs from agencies

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