Cowen Formally Announces Candidacy for Fianna Fail Leadership

Brian Cowen released a statement in the last hour announcing his candidacy for the Fianna Fail leadership and succession of Bertie Ahern. It is interesting to see he was nominated by Brian Lenihan, a man widely tipped to have his eye on becoming the Brian Cowen’ to Brian Cowen and succeeding the next Taoiseach when he eventually steps down. Cowen was seconded by Mary Coughlan and released a statement to transmit his “respect” and “humility” at this moment.

In my 24 years as a public representative I have come to appreciate the huge commitment and effort of the thousands of party members and supporters who are the lifeblood of the organisation. It is on their behalf that those of us who are members of the parliamentary party advance its interests and serve those of the public through our work in the Oireachtas.
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I have witnessed this work from close quarters and it is with the greatest possible respect for Bertie Ahern’s contribution to our party’s welfare and with genuine humility that I put my name forward. It follows that I would be deeply honoured if my parliamentary colleagues determine that I should succeed the Taoiseach as party leader and to be their nominee for the then vacant position of Taoiseach.

Perhaps too much can be read into the nominees in this situation but Cowen will no doubt have had his pick of people to nominate him. Lenihan is making slow progress with his brief in Justice and will no doubt seek to fill the gap left by the Cappo di tutti cappi in Dublin Fianna Fail.

Succeeding Cowen as Deputy Leader – delivering Cowen a degree of weight in Dublin where Fianna Fail will need it, and moving at some point to Finance before the election, appear to be the natural signs of Lenihan’s progression toward that goal and the metrics of his success – again it may be too much to read into him nominating Cowen but its our place to speculate.

Cowen probably wont miss responding to news like this from the central bank as Minister Responsible.