Micheál Martin will step down as party leader and run for presidency

Tánaiste Micheál Martin plans to contest the presidency in 2025, a number of his senior colleagues have revealed.

Several sources this weekend said the Fianna Fáil leader plans to stand aside next year to allow a younger generation to take the party forward.

Details of the planned manoeuvres at the top of Fianna Fáil emerged in the wake of the appointment of Jack Chambers as deputy leader and Finance Minister, replacing party heavyweight and former leadership contender Michael McGrath, who is heading to Europe as Ireland’s new EU Commissioner.

And powerful figures within the party say they are not only ‘convinced’ Mr Martin – who has served in the Dáil for 35 years – will run for Arás an Uachtaráin but also that he will win.

Fianna Fáil political colleagues and senior backroom staff said it became clear Mr Martin was also considering his own future as part of the stratagem to elevate Mr Chambers, 33, and bring Dara Calleary back to the Cabinet table.

Party TDs said they believed that, until last year, Mr Martin had considered taking up the post of European Commissioner. However, one Fianna Fáil insider added hanges in his political positioning were evident as his ‘personal poll ratings soared towards the end of last year’.

They said: ‘His position became unassailable in the parliamentary party. It was made known from Cork that the Commissionership would go to Michael McGrath, and that Micheál was aiming for something bigger.’

Another party source said: ‘He is, as is well known, a health freak so he remains a very young 63-year-old. A run at the presidency is now going to happen. To those of us involved in the discussions around the most recent reshuffle, this was what he had in mind for himself.’

No decision has been made by the Coalition leaders on the timing of the general election, which must take place before the end of March.

Although there are calls for an autumn election, Taoiseach Simon Harris and Mr Martin have publicly stated they want to see out their full term in office.

Colleagues familiar with Mr Martin’s strategic discussions say he could either step down after an autumn election or begin a campaign for an October 2025 Presidential poll while still Tánaiste.

There is precedence for this; Brian Lenihan Snr stood for the presidency in 1990 while he was the serving tánaiste. As many senior members of Government insist the Coalition will go to its full term, the most likely scenario is Mr Martin leading Fianna Fáil into the next general election.

Then, if the Coalition is re-elected, he would step down in summer 2025 and run for the Arás in a short, sharp campaign. Sources said a succession plan for Fianna Fáil’s leadership – in the form of rising party star Jack Chambers – was a key factor in Mr Martin’s thinking.

One Fianna Fáil source told the MoS: ‘It is not that Micheál had anything against Michael [McGrath] despite their constituency rivalry. It’s just that Micheál has given his professional life to Fianna Fáil and he has the party’s interest at foremost.’

He was convinced that after 16 years [since he replaced Bertie Ahern in 2008], the party needed a Dublin leader. ‘Another leader from Cork would have continued the party’s image as rural and lacking in metropolitan sophistication.’

‘Chambers; young, educated, professional looking and articulate, can only improve the party’s standing nationally, but more importantly in Dublin.’

‘With a viable successor in the top ministerial job, Micheál can now tilt at the Arás.’

Mr Martin has been the country’s most popular political leader for a while, attracting far more positive poll figures than his party.

Although Mr Martin has strongly criticised opinion polling recently – for casting his party as a distant third to Fine Gael and Sinn Féin – he has not questioned polling which regularly sees him top 50% satisfaction levels.

Despite a pre-election poll putting his party at 17%, Fianna Fáil took 23% in the local elections and won the most seats on councils (248). With Fine Gael also securing 23% support, the re-election of the two old Civil War rivals to a new coalition is probable.

Even Mr Martin’s FF critics believe he would win a presidential election. One source noted: ‘Micheál has been polling at around 50% satisfaction while his party was polling below 20%. I think he kind of enjoys that gap, making him indispensable. What politician doesn’t enjoy being popular?’