PM Leo Varadkar has resigned after Ireland parliament entered deadlock over the choice of a new premier.

However, he retained his role as the interim leader while the country's three main parties battle out coalition talks after an inconclusive election.

He handed over his resignation to President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Michael Higgins</a> after a tempestuous but inconclusive sitting of the Dáil Éireann, which met for the first time since the February 8 election.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Sinn Fein surges as most popular party in Irish election</a>

It adjourned until March 5, giving party leaders three weeks to try to form a ruling coalition.

"In accordance with the constitution, the government will continue to carry on their duties until successors have been appointed," a government statement said.

Varadkar, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Sinn Fein</a> leader, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Mary Lou McDonald</a>, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Fianna Fail</a> leader, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Micheal Martin</a>, and the Green party leader, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Eamon Ryan</a>, were nominated by their parties but all, as expected, fell far short of an 80-seat majority in the 160-seat chamber.

McDonald won the most 45 votes, with 84 against and 29 abstentions.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-the-end-for-varadkar-is-nigh-irish-vote-may-give-sinn-fein-a-surging-lead-279496">The end for Varadkar is nigh</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Sinn Fein</a>, which once served as the political wing of paramilitary the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sinn-fein-surges-as-most-popular-party-in-irish-election-279810">Irish Republican Army</a> (IRA), became the second biggest party with 37 seats, breaking the historic duopoly of centre-right parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

However, the 33rd dáil ended in a stalemate.

"The onus is on those who have made enormous promises of change to people during this election, who are entrusted with that mandate to bring a programme for government to the Dail for approval,"&nbsp;Varadkar&nbsp;said in parliament before departing to resign.&nbsp;

"If they cannot, they should say so and be upfront and honest about their failure, and the empty promises they made," he added.

Sinn Fein has been historically associated with the IRA which fought British rule in Northern Ireland for decades until the late 1990s when a peace agreement largely ended violence that left more than 3,000 dead on all sides.

It won the popular vote with 24.5 per cent of first preference ballots and picked up 14 seats by attracting voters with a campaign focusing on Ireland's housing shortage and health crisis.

PM Leo Varadkar has resigned after Ireland parliament entered deadlock over the choice of a new premier. However, he retained his role as the interim leader while the country's three main parties battle out coalition talks after an inconclusive election.

PM Leo Varadkar has resigned after Ireland parliament entered deadlock over the choice of a new premier. However, he retained his role as the interim leader while the country's three main parties battle out coalition talks after an inconclusive election. He handed over his resignation to President Michael Higgins after a tempestuous but inconclusive sitting of the Dáil Éireann, which met for the first time since the February 8 election. Also read: Sinn Fein surges as most popular party in Irish election It adjourned until March 5, giving party leaders three weeks to try to form a ruling coalition. "In accordance with the constitution, the government will continue to carry on their duties until successors have been appointed," a government statement said. Varadkar, the Sinn Fein leader, Mary Lou McDonald, the Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, and the Green party leader, Eamon Ryan, were nominated by their parties but all, as expected, fell far short of an 80-seat majority in the 160-seat chamber. McDonald won the most 45 votes, with 84 against and 29 abstentions. Also read: The end for Varadkar is nigh Sinn Fein, which once served as the political wing of paramilitary the Irish Republican Army (IRA), became the second biggest party with 37 seats, breaking the historic duopoly of centre-right parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. However, the 33rd dáil ended in a stalemate. "The onus is on those who have made enormous promises of change to people during this election, who are entrusted with that mandate to bring a programme for government to the Dail for approval," Varadkar said in parliament before departing to resign. "If they cannot, they should say so and be upfront and honest about their failure, and the empty promises they made," he added. Sinn Fein has been historically associated with the IRA which fought British rule in Northern Ireland for decades until the late 1990s when a peace agreement largely ended violence that left more than 3,000 dead on all sides. It won the popular vote with 24.5 per cent of first preference ballots and picked up 14 seats by attracting voters with a campaign focusing on Ireland's housing shortage and health crisis.

PM Leo Varadkar resigns after Irish government enters stalemate

Irish Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/irish-prime-minister-leo-varadkar-visits-family-in-india-270879">Leo Varadkar</a> will ask President Michael D. Higgins to dissolve parliament on Tuesday in order to hold a parliamentary election in February, the president's office said.

The Irish Times and national broadcaster RTE said Varadkar had told his ministers the ballot would be on February&nbsp;8.

The campaign is set to pit the 40-year-old prime minister's record on the fast-growing economy against struggling services, particularly in the health service and expensive housing market, in contest polls suggest is too close to call.

Varadkar's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/northern-irelands-dup-oppose-united-kingdom-governments-brexit-plan-256446">Fine Gael</a> and the fellow center-right <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-ireland-beat-britain-in-the-brexit-divorce-battle-179372">Fianna Fail</a> are closely matched in opinion polls, and some distance ahead of their other rivals, increasingly the likelihood that one of the two parties with similar policies on the economy and Brexit will lead another minority administration.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We’ve made some good progress since I’ve become Taoiseach. But I know it’s not enough, and we want to do much more. <a href="https://twitter.com/FineGael?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FineGael</a> has the team, the track record and the plans to build a future we can all look forward to.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LookForward?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LookForward</a> <a href="https://t.co/Tox3EBxHVm">pic.twitter.com/Tox3EBxHVm</a>
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeoVaradkar/status/1217053753095983104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Fine Gael has led a minority government since 2016 through a cooperation deal with Fianna Fail, their fiercest rivals, after neither party came close to getting enough votes to form a working coalition last time out.

Varadkar, 40, became the once-staunchly Catholic country's first gay premier in 2017, a year after the last election when his party hoped a generational shift could lead them to a third successive term for the first time.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail both refuse to govern with the country's third-largest party <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-general-election-a-look-at-possible-outcomes-of-the-uk-vote-267764">Sinn Fein</a>, once the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), meaning smaller parties such as the resurgent Greens could decide whether Varadkar or Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin become the next prime minister.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar will ask President Michael D. Higgins to dissolve parliament on Tuesday in order to hold a parliamentary election in February, the president's office said.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar will ask President Michael D. Higgins to dissolve parliament on Tuesday in order to hold a parliamentary election in February, the president's office said. The Irish Times and national broadcaster RTE said Varadkar had told his ministers the ballot would be on February 8. The campaign is set to pit the 40-year-old prime minister's record on the fast-growing economy against struggling services, particularly in the health service and expensive housing market, in contest polls suggest is too close to call. Varadkar's Fine Gael and the fellow center-right Fianna Fail are closely matched in opinion polls, and some distance ahead of their other rivals, increasingly the likelihood that one of the two parties with similar policies on the economy and Brexit will lead another minority administration. We’ve made some good progress since I’ve become Taoiseach. But I know it’s not enough, and we want to do much more. @FineGael has the team, the track record and the plans to build a future we can all look forward to.#LookForward pic.twitter.com/Tox3EBxHVm — Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) January 14, 2020 × Fine Gael has led a minority government since 2016 through a cooperation deal with Fianna Fail, their fiercest rivals, after neither party came close to getting enough votes to form a working coalition last time out. Varadkar, 40, became the once-staunchly Catholic country's first gay premier in 2017, a year after the last election when his party hoped a generational shift could lead them to a third successive term for the first time. Fine Gael and Fianna Fail both refuse to govern with the country's third-largest party Sinn Fein, once the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), meaning smaller parties such as the resurgent Greens could decide whether Varadkar or Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin become the next prime minister.

Irish PM Leo Varadkar to hold a parliamentary election in February

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PM Leo Varadkar resigns after Irish government enters stalemate

Irish PM Leo Varadkar to hold a parliamentary election in February