Erin White
Erin White | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 34th Taoiseach of Banbha | |
| Assumed office May 7th 2020 | |
| Monarch | Jane I |
| Preceded by | Caoimhe Lynch |
| Constituency | Barna |
| Leader of the SDP | |
| Assumed office May 1st 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Caoimhe Lynch |
| Member of Dáil Banbhann | |
| In office 9th June 2018 – May 7th 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Marcus O'Connor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 May 1987 Armagh, Banbha |
| Political party | SDP |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Aíne White Laoise White |
| Education | Queen’s University Galway |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the Dragon |
Erin Willow White (born May 1 1987) is a Banbhan politician who currently serves as the Taoiseach of Banbha and as head of the Banbhan Social Democratic Party (SDP) since 2020. She has been a member of Parliament since 2017.
White was born in Armagh but moved at a young age with her parents to Galway where she also attended Queen’s University Galway where she studied both law and politics. She joined the Young Social Democrats in 2008, later serving as its vice president and latterly president. She was elected as a councillor in her home borough in Galway before being elected a member of Parliament for the seat covering the same area. Following the controversial resignations of both Aisling Fitzgerald and her successor Caoimh Lynch she was selected to succeed Lynch as leader of the SDP, gaining a party majority in the ensuing election, becoming Taoiseach as a result. She took office at the age of 33 becoming the youngest person to hold the position in Banbhan history, as well as being one of the world’s youngest state leaders in general.
As Taoiseach, White has led the SDP through and out of a turbulent period for the party after the 2018/19 Avallone and Waterford terror attacks and resultant invasion of Vyzhva that resulted in the resignations of two successive Taoiseachs in short order. She has been vocal in support of Shirvani independence and vociferously condemned the crimes committed by the Eran government against the Shirvani people. Since entering office, she has been the subject of criticism from various directions, particularly due to her young age, appearance and continuing to live her life in a way that fits her age, partying, attending concerts and the like. She has been called a beacon of progressive leadership by Queen Jane in a rare public comment on current affairs. Early Life and education
Early Life
Erin Willow White was born on May 1 1987 in Galway General Infirmary to Aíne and Laoise White. She enrolled at Queen’s University Galway, studying political science and law where she graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in 2009 and 2019 respectively. Whilst studying she worked as a florist.
Early Political Career
White’s political career began at university when she joined the Young Social Democrats in 2008. By 2013 she had become its president. She ran unsuccessfully for the position of councillor in her borough in 2013 and again, successfully in 2014. She was elected as a member of Parliament for the greater area in 2018 whilst still studying for her master’s in political science.
Taoiseach
In May 2020, White was selected by the SDP to succeed the embattled and outgoing Lynch as the Taoiseach of Banbha prior to a general election in which the party expected to do poorly in. In a shock turn, the SDP won a number of remaining conservative seats resulting in the SDP gaining enough seats to form a majority government for the first time in 64 years.
Upon confirmation of the election results, she was empowered by Queen Jane at the Blue Palace, becoming the youngest ever Taoiseach in Banbhan history.
Her initial cabinet caused much discussion both internally and externally due to their young ages and the majority of cabinet members being women (21/30)
Foreign Policy
White is very much an internationalist and this shows in the route Banbhan foreign policy has taken in recent years, not least in the ongoing efforts of reconciliation and rebuilding Vyzhva after the catastrophic invasion. She is so far the only Taoiseach to have ever visited Vyzhva. She has made multiple visits to Medacapre in the pursuit of bringing together the two nations in both trade and tackling climate change.
During the 2022 Portcullia Strait Crisis she took a hard line against the belligerent parties, ordering a large naval taskforce to the area to shepherd and protect merchant shipping caught in the area.
Controversy
LIFE Photoshoot
In the May 2022 issue of LIFE Magazine accompanying an interview with White about the unfolding Portcullia Strait crisis, her time in office to date and her experience so far there were a variety of photographs in which she was wearing a two-piece suit and heels with a plunging neck like. This set of photographs generated much discussion, ranging from criticism over the outfit in relation to her position to praise for not rigidly adhering to the expected norms of political life. She continues to wear discourse provoking outfits in everyday life saying that “my choice of fashion does not in any way affect the day to day running of the nation”.
Other Controversies
In June of 2022, right-wing outlets published leaked footage of White drinking and partying with friends, including footage of her and her friends posing topless which inevitably went viral. In response to the leaking of the footage White sued the outlets for defamation receiving an undisclosed 7-figure sum in recompense which she donated to a variety of charities.
White has remained a festival and concert goer throughout her period in office giving rise to further controversy where the same outlets that had leaked party footage now insinuated that she had taken drugs at a recent music festival which she vehemently denied, taking a drug test to prove her innocence, again taking the publication to court for defamation and libel, this time resulting in those responsible receiving fixed-term jail sentences and another hefty fine to the news outlet which then went bankrupt.
Skellige
In November 2022, White made an official apology to the people of Skellige for previous governments lack of willingness to organise a plebiscite on the subject of independence. Legislation was introduced to organise a plebiscite in 2023 despite opposition from the opposition, as of July 2023, there has been little progress due to continual stonewalling by the upper house on the matter.
Outside Politics
Personal Life
White has twin daughters born in 2021 to her then partner Cillian Kennedy, they have since separated. She describes herself as being part of a rainbow family, being raised by two female parents and identifying as bisexual. She is known to be close friends with Queen Jane and Princess Niamh, being around the same age as the Queen, routinely attending court functions at their behest.
Interests
White is known to be a keen baker with numerous articles published in cooking magazines, having also appeared on the Saturday Morning Kitchen program multiple times as well.
Awards
White has made multiple publications top 100 lists including but not limited to the world’s most powerful women, world’s most influential leaders and as an icon of progressive leadership.
Domestically she has been awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the Dragon as well as being awarded honorary doctorates by University College Avallone and Queen’s College Avallone