The 'TikTok Taoiseach': How social media helped Simon Harris shine
Simon Harris has 235,000 followers on X, another 170,000 on Instagram and more than 1.8 million 'likes' on his TikTok account. Photo: Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie
After a whirlwind few days in Irish politics, Simon Harris is set to become Ireland's youngest-ever Taoiseach at the age of 37.
The Wicklow native is set to replace Leo Varadkar as Fine Gael leader, after the current Taoiseach announced on Wednesday that he would be stepping down.
While the Further and Higher Education Minister may be young, he has used one aspect of his youth as an advantage over most other people in Dáíl Éireann — savvy social media.
While other politicians are only grasping the popularity of TikTok in recent months, Mr Harris was been one of the most visible TDs on the app, having joined in April of 2021.
He has been prominent on social media for years. While health minister, he frequently used Instagram livestreams during covid times — providing a rare example of a minister directly answering questions from members of the public.
Those questions ranged from the serious to the silly. One asked whether he would want to fight "one Leo Varadkar-sized duck, or 20 duck-sized Leo Varadkars", resulting in a response of "I think I'll just try avoid fights!"
That openness, of course, can go both ways.
Videos updating members of the public during lockdown times led to heavy criticism and abuse of Government policies, with those Instagram Lives often showing him looking weary. Despite that, he persevered and his numbers continued to grow.
He has 235,000 followers on X, another 170,000 on Instagram and more than 1.8 million 'likes' on his TikTok account.
For contrast, his ministerial colleagues Paschal Donohoe and Helen McEntee only have 76,500 and 60,600 people following them on X respectively.
His following on X even outstrips that of President Michael D Higgins and is only dwarfed by one other member of Government — the man he is replacing as leader of the country.
One element of why his following on social media has grown is that Mr Harris does not use his social media accounts purely for political reasons.
For every video where there's a 'mini-tour' of Dáíl Eireann or reminders about upcoming social welfare payments, there is a soup recipe, or a message to Leaving Cert students where he posted a picture from his first day of school.
In 2022, Mr Harris compiled a report in an attempt to improve his party's support base among young people, with an aim to grow Young Fine Gael to 2,000 members.
If he becomes Taoiseach, he will already have a launchpad for speaking to those young people — something that his Government will need on their side come the general election.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
