Europe

Home page

Europe

Irish PM calls early elections

20 January 2011 20:05 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA.The Republic of Ireland’s Prime Minister Brian Cowen has called early elections following the resignation of six of his cabinet ministers, APA reports quoting Press TV.

Cowen announced on Thursday that March 11 would be the date for the country’s much-anticipated general election, marking the beginning of a 50-day long campaign.

"It is my intention in due course to seek dissolution of Dail Eireann (national parliament) with a view to a general election taking place on Friday, March 11," he told the lower chamber of parliament.

Health Minister Mary Harney, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey, and Defense Minister Tony Killeen handed in their resignations late Wednesday.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keefe, stepped down from his position early Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin quit after his unsuccessful attempt to oust Cowen.

Cowen tried to increase his party’s electoral chances by promoting new faces to the government following the resignations.

However, his junior coalition partners, the Green Party, threatened to withdraw support unless he ditched the plan and announced a date for parliamentary election.

Cowen became Ireland’s most unpopular prime minister in recent history over his handling of the economic crisis.

His party, the Fianna Fail party, was blamed for forcing Ireland to seek an EUR 85 billion (USD 113 billion) bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund for the country’s stricken economy.