Simon Harris becomes Ireland's youngest prime minister

Simon Harris has been elected as taoiseach (Irish prime minister) by members of the Dáil (Irish parliament).

Mr Harris will now travel to meet President Michael D Higgins where he will be officially installed, BBC reports.

Aged 37, the new Fine Gael leader is the youngest person to ever lead the Republic of Ireland.

His appointment follows Leo Varadkar's official resignation on April 8.

Mr Harris, who has represented the Wicklow constituency for two decades, was the only candidate to seek the party leadership after Mr Varadkar said he was stepping down in March.

Mr Harris described his election as Taoiseach (the Gaelic word for "chieftain" used to describe the Irish prime minister) as a "very special day".

He promised to lead the coalition government in a spirit of "unity collaboration and mutual respect".

His party is in a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, but a general election is due by March 2025.

Harris's prominence on social media, especially TikTok, has made him one of the most visible politicians in Ireland.

The new Taoiseach will face a formidable to-do list, including tackling housing and homelessness crises, and criticism of government policy on asylum seekers.

One of his first jobs will be to choose his cabinet of ministers.

Harris said last week that some contenders will be "rightly delighted", while others will "feel a sense of personal disappointment."

"I will do my very best to use the best judgment that I have in the mandate I've been given by this party to put together the best cabinet," he added.