Veteran politician Micheál Martin is poised to assume the role of Ireland's prime minister for a second time on Wednesday, as lawmakers are expected to formally endorse him as the leader of a coalition government, reports AP.

This confirmation comes nearly two months after an election in which Martin’s Fianna Fáil party secured the most seats but fell short of a majority needed to govern independently.

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Following weeks of negotiations, the long-established centre-right parties Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael reached an agreement to form a coalition with support from several independent lawmakers.

As part of the arrangement, Martin, aged 64, will serve as taoiseach, or prime minister, for three years, with Fine Gael’s Simon Harris – the outgoing taoiseach – acting as his deputy. For the remainder of the five-year term, the two leaders will exchange roles.

Members of both parties have approved the coalition agreement, and Martin is set to be formally endorsed by the Dáil, Ireland’s lower house of parliament, on Wednesday. Following this, President Michael D. Higgins will officially appoint him as prime minister, after which Martin will select his Cabinet.

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In the election held on 29 November, Irish voters defied a global trend of ousting incumbent governments seen throughout 2024. Fianna Fáil won 48 of the 174 legislative seats, while Fine Gael secured 38. They garnered the necessary support to govern with backing from the largely conservative Regional Independent Group, which will receive two ministerial posts.

Although Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael share broadly similar centre-right policies, their century-old rivalry dates back to opposing sides of Ireland’s civil war in the 1920s. The two parties first formed an alliance after the 2020 election, which ended in a near tie.

This new coalition excludes the left-of-centre Sinn Féin, which will remain in opposition despite winning 39 seats. Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have consistently refused to collaborate with Sinn Féin due to its historical association with the Irish Republican Army during Northern Ireland’s decades of conflict.

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The incoming government faces significant challenges, including addressing Ireland’s acute housing crisis marked by rising homelessness, soaring rents, and property prices. Additionally, they must manage an increasing number of asylum-seekers.

The cost of living, particularly the housing crisis, dominated the election campaign, with immigration emerging as a sensitive and complex issue in a country of 5.4 million people historically shaped by emigration.