2ndLDWritethru:LeoVaradkartostepdownasIrishprimeminister,partyleader_GuangmingOnlineThisfilephototakenonDec.17,2022showsLeoVaradkar(C)inDublin,Ireland.TheprimeministeroftheRepublicofIrelandLeoVaradkarannouncedWednesdaythathewillresignaspartyleaderimmediatelyandasTaoiseachassoonashisFineGaelsuccessorisselected.(TheHousesoftheOireachtas/HandoutviaXinhua)LONDON,March20(Xinhua)--TheprimeministeroftheRepublicofIrelandLeoVaradkarannouncedWednesdaythathewillresignaspartyleaderimmediatelyandasTaoiseachassoonashisFineGaelsuccessorisselected."Onepartofleadershipisknowingwhenthetimehascometopassonthebatontosomebodyelse,andthenhavingthecouragetodoit,"Varadkarsaidinastatement."Thattimeisnow.SoIamresigningaspresidentandleaderofFineGaeleffectivetodayandwillresignasTaoiseachassoonasmysuccessorisabletotakeupthatoffice,"hesaid,addingthathisreasonsforsteppingdownare"bothpersonalandpolitical."Varadkarsaidthecurrentgovernment"couldbere-elected"buthedidnotfeelhewasthe"bestpersonforthejobanymore".Varadkar,45,hasledtheFineGaelpartysince2017andservedasTaoiseachtwice.HecurrentlyleadsthecoalitiongovernmentinDublinalongwithFiannaFailandtheGreenParty.Inthe2020Irishgeneralelection,Varadkar'spartyendedinthethirdplaceintermsofnumberofseatsinDailEireann,thelowerhouseofthecountry'sparliament.HisresignationannouncementfollowedtheIrishgovernment'sdefeatintwinreferendumsearlierthismonth.Aspartofthecoalitiondealstruckbetweentheparties,VaradkarandMichealMartinofFiannaFailwouldholdthepositionofTaoiseachfortwoyearseach.In2020,MartinwasappointedTaoiseachwithVaradkarservingashisTanaiste(deputyprimeminister),beforethetwoswappedrolesin2022.TanaisteMichealMartinsaidhewas"verysurprised"atVaradkar'sresignation."Iwanttotaketheopportunitytothankhimsincerely.Wegotonverywell.Wehadastrongpersonalrelationship...whichIthinkwasimportantintermsofthecontinuityandstabilityofthegovernment,"Martinsaid.ThisfilephototakenonDec.17,2022showsLeoVaradkar(C)inDublin,Ireland.TheprimeministeroftheRepublicofIrelandLeoVaradkarannouncedWednesdaythathewillresignaspartyleaderimmediatelyandasTaoiseachassoonashisFineGaelsuccessorisselected.(TheHousesoftheOireachtas/HandoutviaXinhua)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.