Micheál Martin elected as Ireland’s new PM after lengthy coalition talks

The head of Ireland’s center-right Fianna Fáil (the Republican) party has taken the post of Taoiseach (Prime Minister) following the latest parliamentary session. His party came first at the February general elections but failed to gain enough seats to form a majority government. It also lost a popular vote to the left-wing party Sinn Féin (We Ourselves).

Fianna Fáil had to enter uneasy talks with the Greens and its historic rivals – the liberal-conservative Fine Gael, which has ruled the nation since 2011. Under the historic agreement, which ends a feud almost a century old, Martin will only serve as the head of the government for about two-and-a-half years and will then pass the leadership to Fine Gael again, which came third in the last vote.

While succeeding in shutting out their chief left-wing rival, the ruling coalition is not facing an easy ride, with Sinn Féin on Friday promising “one hell of an opposition that is united, that is coherent, that isn’t just opposing for the sake of opposing.”