Varadkar set to be Ireland's new Taoiseach after defeating Coveney in leadership battle

Leo Varadkar is set to become Ireland's next Taoiseach after his colleagues at Fine Gael voted for him to become the new leader of the majority government party.

Varadkar was elected thanks to his popularity among fellow TDs, MEPs and Senators, though he failed to receive the highest amount of votes overall. His competitor, Simon Coveney, received 65 per cent of the popular vote, which was made up of the entire party membership. Cork TD Coveney garnered 7,051 votes out of the overall 10,842, while Varadkar received only 3,772.

Mr Varadkar did manage to pull himself up by getting the nod of approval from 51 TDs, Senators and MEPs, votes which have a higher weighting than the other member voters. Coveney received just 21 votes from that sector.

It means that 38-year-old Varadkar becomes Ireland's first openly gay Taoiseach, a fact that international media outlets have been focusing on over the past hour.

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He is also the youngest Taoiseach in the history of the State and will now take over from the departing Enda Kenny, who stepped down after becoming the longest serving Taoiseach in the history of the Fine Gael party.