London:27/6/20:Centrist politician Micheal Martin became Ireland’s prime minster Saturday, fusing two longtime rival parties into a coalition four months after an election that upended the status quo.
The deal will see Martin’s Fianna Fail govern with Fine Gael — the party of outgoing leader Leo Varadkar —and with the smaller Green Party.
“I believe civil war politics ended a long time ago in our country, but today civil war politics ends in our parliament,” Varadkhar said.
The Dail, the lower house of Ireland’s parliament, elected Martin by a vote of 93-63, with three abstentions. Martin later met with Irish President Michael D Higgins to receive his seal of office.
Under the plan approved by the parties’ memberships, Martin became taoiseach, or prime minister. He will serve until the end of 2022 and then hand the job back to Varadkar.