Leo Varadkar is from the ruling party

Leo Varadkar, an Indian-origin doctor and Ireland’s first openly gay Minister, on Friday won the leadership race for the ruling party to become the country’s youngest-ever and first homosexual Prime Minister-in-waiting.

Mr. Varadkar, 38, will officially take over as Taoiseach, as the Irish prime ministerial title is known in Ireland, in Parliament later this month after he was declared the winner in the leadership race for the Fine Gael party. He took a majority of the votes to be declared as the 11th leader of the party as counting concluded in Dublin.

Popular choice

The final count, including all three electoral colleges, saw Mr. Varadkar win with 60% to Housing Minister Simon Coveney’s 40% votes.

The Dublin-born son of Mumbai-born Ashok Varadkar and Irish mother Miriam served as Ireland’s Welfare Minister and emerged as the most popular choice since he announced his candidacy after current leader Enda Kenny stepped down as Prime Minister earlier this year.

Ireland’s new Taoiseach is expected to be formally confirmed by June 13, when the country’s Dail Parliament resumes, following a week-long break.