Ireland ’s ruling Fianna Fail party yesterday elected former foreign minister Micheal Martin to replace prime minister Brian Cowen as its leader, following Cowen’s resignation at the weekend. The 50-year-old was elected just over a week after he launched a failed leadership challenge against Cowen and stood down as foreign minister, a move that helped to fatally destabilise the premier. “Micheal Martin T D (MP) has been elected as the eighth leader of Fianna Fail,” the party said in a Twitter message, following a secret ballot. A reserved figure, Martin is a stark contrast to the populist Cowen and he will have little time to prove himself ahead of elections expected to be held in February or March. Martin beat off competition from Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, Social Protection Minister Eamon O Cuiv and Sports Minister Mary Hanafin, although he was the favourite to win.
