Varadkar Dy PM in Irish coalition pact

London, June 28

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Ireland’s Indian-origin Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has stepped down to make way for new Irish PM Micheál Martin as part of a historic coalition deal which will see him return as the PM in over two years.

The office of Taoiseach, as the Irish PM is known, is to rotate between Ireland’s two centrist parties — Varadkar’s Fine Gael and Martin’s Fianna Fail — after they agreed ambitious climate targets to seal a power-sharing deal with the Green Party this week.

Martin is expected to lead Ireland until December 2022 when Varadkar is expected to take over again as Taoiseach. “My first official duties as Tanaiste (Deputy Head) today. Commemorating the Connaught Rangers who, one hundred years ago, mutinied in India in support of Irish independence,” tweeted Varadkar as the new Irish Deputy on Sunday. — PTI