Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar, the current Taoiseach, formally resigned as “ministers ” after the votes, but will stay on as caretaker leader until a successor is chosen.( Liam McBurney/ PA via AP)Talks among the parties have failed to induce much progress since the Feb. 8 election, which brought a breakthrough for left-wing nationalists Sinn Fein at the expense of the two long-dominant centrist parties, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.
Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein each hold 37 seats in the 160 -seat Dail, parliament’s lower home. Penalty Gael has 35.
Thursday’s session opened with the election of a speaker, followed by parties nominating their candidates for Taoiseach, or prime minister.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Varadkar were all nominated to the top post, but none procured enough votes to be elected.
