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Summary
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen resigned as Fianna Fil party leader on Saturday but said he would stay on as Taoiseach or prime minister to oversee the implementation of vital economic legislation until the general election on March 11. Irelands embattled premier bowed to pressure from senior party figures after public outcry over his botched attempt last week to use a reshuffle to bolster his partys chances in upcoming election following what his Green party coalition partners called the orchestrated resignation of a third of his cabinet. The decision to quit as party leader paves the way for a potentially divisive leadership contest just weeks before polling. If he had resigned as prime minister as well it would almost certainly have triggered an immediate general election as under parliamentary rules the new Fianna Fil leader would have had to win a vote that, given the coalitions precarious majority, might not have possible. Fianna Fil managers were due to announce the mechanism for the leadership contest later on Saturday. Michel Martin is seen as the current favourite, largely because he dared to vote publicly against Mr Cowen in a vote of confidence by the Fianna Fil parliamentary party on Tuesday, which Mr Cowen won. Brian Lenihan, the finance minister and Mary Hanafin, tourism minister, have also said they would be interested were there a vacancy. Mr Cowen insisted his decision was the result of his own counsel and said his task now was to concentrate fully on government business as the party chooses a new leader. Mr Cowen said his decision to quit the leadership was an internal party matter but his government responsibilities as prime minister is as before and will be so to the end of our term.
