Cowen wins clear support to become new Irish PM

Irish Finance Minister Brian Cowen received support yesterday from most Cabinet ministers in his Fianna Fail party, bringing him closer to becoming Prime Minister when Bertie Ahern resigns in May.

Mr Cowen has long been seen as the most likely next leader of the party that has governed Ireland for 11 years, and as a safe pair of hands to guide the economy through a period of sharply slowing growth after a decade of spectacular development.

Another potential party leader stepped down yesterday and nearly all fellow Fianna Fail Cabinet ministers said they backed Mr Cowen, 48, and trusted the former Foreign Minister to represent Ireland on the international stage as well.

Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said he would not run for the job, though he thought it unfair that Mr Ahern had named Mr Cowen as his preferred successor.

"I don't often criticise the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) but I do believe it shouldn't be for an outgoing Taoiseach to in effect put his hand on somebody," Mr Ahern said.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey remained virtually alone in not declaring his intentions for the leadership race.

If elected by fellow deputies, Mr Cowen's most pressing task will be to secure a "yes" vote in a referendum expected on June 12, when Irish voters will determine the fate of the European Union's reform treaty.

While markets had been assured of continued sound economic policy, EU Affairs Minister Dick Roche also pointed to Mr Cowen's experience in running EU summits and his role in the Northern Ireland peace process, seen as Prime Minister Ahern's most lasting legacy.

"Brian Cowen is without doubt the brightest mind in Dail Eireann (lower house of Parliament)," Mr Roche said.

But despite his sharp intelligence Mr Cowen has also been saddled with the nickname "Biffo" which stands for big ignorant fellow from Offaly although invariably the word fellow is replaced with an expletive.

The nickname in part reflects his large physical presence although it may also have been born of the fact that in stark contrast to Mr Ahern's man-of-the-people image, Mr Cowen can often appear dour, grumpy and disinterested.

He is popular among party members, enjoys a good party and when the mood takes him he can be a bruising sparring partner - as he showed last September when he launched an animated and impassioned defence of Mr Ahern in Parliament.

But at ministry briefings and even when giving speeches to industry groups he often seems to wish he was elsewhere.

"On account of possessing a very low boredom threshold, Cowen can deliver a civil service script in such an offhand manner that even the most hyperactive listeners find their eyelids drooping," The Irish Times newspaper wrote yesterday.

The differences between Mr Ahern and Mr Cowen have inevitably led to comparisons with populist former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his cerebral successor Gordon Brown who had to spend years as Finance Minister before taking the top job.

But unlike Mr Blair and Mr Brown, there have been no reports of an impatient Mr Cowen falling out with Mr Ahern or pushing for him to go.