Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, who is set to return for a second term in office.
In a post on X, PM Modi said that India is committed to working together with Ireland to further strengthen the bilateral partnership between both countries.
“Congratulations @MichealMartinTD on assuming the office of Prime Minister of Ireland. We are committed to working together to further strengthen our bilateral partnership, which is based on a strong foundation of shared values and deep people-to-people connections,” PM Modi said.
Martin, leader of the Fianna Fáil party, secured 95 votes in favour and 76 against his nomination, ensuring his return to the position of prime minister. He will now lead a coalition government comprising Fianna Fáil, its long-standing rival Fine Gael, and independent lawmakers.
Martin’s nomination faced a delay after a chaotic vote on Wednesday, which saw the Irish parliament suspended due to opposition protests over the speaking rights of independent lawmakers supporting the incoming coalition. The deadlock was resolved overnight through talks, allowing the vote to proceed a day later.
This coalition marks the second consecutive partnership between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the two parties that have dominated Irish politics since 1937. Independent ministers will replace the Green Party, which lost significant seats in the November elections.
The 64-year-old Martin previously served as prime minister from 2020 to 2022. Under the coalition agreement, Fine Gael’s Simon Harris is scheduled to take over as prime minister in 2027. Harris will first replace Martin as deputy prime minister and is expected to take on the foreign minister role.