“Excited to collaborate”: Prime Minister Modi congratulates Simon Harris on becoming the youngest Prime Minister of Ireland

Simon Harris became the youngest prime minister of Ireland on Wednesday, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him. In his remarks, PM Modi expressed his excitement about cooperating to improve relations between Ireland and India.

“Congratulations @SimonHarrisTD on becoming the youngest Prime Minister of Ireland ever,” PM Modi said in a post on X. We cherish our historical connections, which stem from our common conviction in democratic principles. Looking forward to cooperating to enhance the bilateral relationship between Ireland and India.

After Simon Harris, the youngest prime minister in Irish history, was selected by the parliament on Monday to succeed Leo Varadkar, who abruptly resigned last month, PM Modi sent out a congrats message, according to Al Jazeera. With the support of Fianna Fail and the Green Party, two members of his government, his candidacy was confirmed 88-69.
The 37-year-old former minister of health and higher education—best known for spearheading Ireland’s early response to the Covid-19 pandemic—was chosen president of the center-right Fine Gael party last month without encountering any opposition, days after the dramatic departure of former Irish prime minister Varadkar.

According to Al Jazeera, Harris said, “I do accept this nomination to serve as taoiseach [prime minister].” “I pledge to exert every effort to uphold the confidence you have bestowed upon me,” he said
In acknowledgment of the coalition partners that supported his candidacy, Harris said he intends to lead “in the spirit of unity, collaboration, and mutual respect” in his new government.

According to Al Jazeera, Harris pledged to “reset” and revitalize his party at a conference over the weekend, bringing it back to “core values” like promoting commerce, agriculture, and law and order.
Harris joined Fine Gael’s youth chapter at the age of sixteen and rose quickly through the ranks.After serving as a county council member at the age of 22, he was elected to parliament in 2011. He is now 24 years old.

Being the youngest member of the Irish parliament at the time, he was nicknamed “Baby of the Dail.”He was named minister of higher education in 2020 and minister of health in 2016 at the age of 29.

Harris has positioned himself as a “accidental politician,” despite having served in parliament for the most of his adult life, according to Al Jazeera. Before Harris, Leo Varadkar was Ireland’s first openly homosexual prime minister and the nation’s youngest-ever leader, having been elected at the age of 38.