Brian Cowen, the Irish finance minister who is expected to take over as prime minister next month, has a reputation as a no-nonsense lawmaker with a finely-tuned political brain. Cowen, 48, who was the only contender to succeed current premier Bertie Ahern as leader of the centrist Fianna Fail party, is widely regarded as a political "bruiser."
In contrast to Ahern who hails from central Dublin, Cowen comes from the rural midlands county of Offaly. Combative and tough in parliament, he can appear cantankerous and grumpy across the floor of the house in clashes with the opposition.
Affable and witty in private, he is a popular figure with his party's 78 backbench lawmakers. He has also held the ministries of labour (1992-93), transport (1993-94), health (1997-2000) and foreign affairs (2000-04). His first job when he takes over Ireland's 310,000 euro (487,000 dollar) per year top political post will be to head up the campaign to deliver a "Yes" vote to the EU's key Lisbon Treaty in a June referendum. After a decade of unprecedented growth, Ireland's so-called Celtic Tiger economy appears to be losing its bite, and Cowen will have to be more austere than his predecessor, who was able to cut taxes and boost welfare allowances.
A former lawyer who is married with two daughters, Cowen is a gifted mimic and enjoys breaking into a song over a pint of Guinness. His light-hearted nickname is Biffo - said to stand for "Big Ignorant Fellow From Offaly."
Last year, after admitting in a magazine interview that he had smoked cannabis on a couple of occasions when he was a student in the 1970s, he was re-christened "Spliffo Biffo" by some. While Cowen is measured and cautious like Ahern, to whom he has been a loyal lieutenant, he does not share the patience of his mentor. While Ahern is easily accessible for a "doorstep quote" during the 70- to 80-hour weeks he works, Cowen is expected to be more reserved and more protective of his privacy and weekends with his family.
He was first elected to the Dail (lower house of parliament) in June 1984 in a by-election after his lawmaker father Bernard Cowen, a former junior minister, died of a heart attack at the age of 52. His grandfather Christie was a local councillor and Cowen is fiercely loyal to Fianna Fail. Cowen is a strong supporter of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) games of Irish football and hurling and was president of the GAA club in his home town of Clara.