For the second time, Indian-origin Dr. Leo Varadkar is set to take over as Ireland's prime minister, in a handover of power between the two main political partners in the three-party governing coalition.

The rotation between Varadkar's Fine Gael and current premier Micheal Martin's Fianna Fail parties is unprecedented in Irish history.

Varadkar is one of Ireland's youngest ever leaders even in his second stint in the role, as he steps up from the designation of deputy premier, AFP reported.

Varadkar's rise to the top of Irish politics was remarkable in a country dominated by a firm, conservative Catholic morality well into the latter half of the last century.

At the age of 38, he became the country's youngest Taoiseach (Prime Minister in Irish) as well as its first openly gay head of government and first of Indian heritage.

Varadkar's previous tenure as Taoiseach was overshadowed by Brexit and the pandemic.

He was widely judged as an effective communicator leading the country into its first lockdown -- one of the longest and most stringent imposed in Europe.

Image courtesy: Bloomberg