Irish PM Set to Call Election on Friday

Coalition partner says

The announcement came after weeks of speculation about the timing of the election, which must be held by January 2020.

Varadkar's Fine Gael party has been in a coalition government with the Fianna Fáil party since 2016.

The coalition has been under pressure in recent months, with both parties struggling in the polls.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said on Tuesday that he had agreed with Varadkar to call the election for Friday, February 8.

Martin said that the election would be "a chance for the people of Ireland to have their say on the future of our country."

Varadkar is expected to make a formal announcement about the election later on Tuesday.

The election is likely to be closely contested, with Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin all expected to perform well.

The election will be the first since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

The result of the election could have a significant impact on the Brexit negotiations.

The Irish government has said that it wants to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

However, the UK government has said that it is prepared to leave the EU without a deal, which could lead to a hard border.

The election could also have a significant impact on the future of the Irish government.

If Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil lose their majority in the Dáil, they could be forced to form a coalition with Sinn Féin.

Sinn Féin is a left-wing party that wants to see a united Ireland.

A coalition between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin would be a historic development.

It would be the first time that Sinn Féin has been part of the Irish government since the foundation of the state.