On Thursday, January 23, the Irish Parliament confirmed Micheál Martin as the country’s new Prime Minister.
A total of 95 deputies supported Martin’s nomination, while 76 opposed it.
Martin is now set to visit the residence of Irish President Michael D. Higgins, who will officially appoint him as Prime Minister.
The vote was initially scheduled for January 22 but was delayed due to disruptions in the parliamentary agenda caused by a protest from the opposition. The opposition objected to the allocation of time for speeches by four independent deputies who support the government.
In response to the protests, Parliament Speaker Verona Murphy declared two recesses to allow the factions to coordinate their actions, with the session resuming only on Thursday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen added an unexpected twist to the day’s events by posting a congratulatory message to Martin as the new Prime Minister before the Parliament had officially confirmed his candidacy.
