Tynwald President Steve Rodan has announced that he is to retire from politics in July.
Mr Rodan will leave office on July 19, the eve of that month’s sitting of Tynwald, when the first item of business will be for members to vote to elect his successor.
His decision brings to a close a political career which began in Scotland in the 1970s and culminated in more than 30 years of continuous elected public office in the Isle of Man.
His parliamentary career began with his election to the House of Keys in 1995, representing Garff from 1995 to 2016, and later serving as Speaker of the House of Keys from 2006 to 2016.
He was elected President of Tynwald for a five-year term on July 19, 2016.
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Mr Rodan said: ’I have formally advised my Tynwald colleagues that I wish to retire as a member of Tynwald in July and that it is not my intention to seek election for a further five-year term as President of Tynwald.
’Letting colleagues have confirmation of my intentions will enable time and thought to be given to the election of my successor.
’To have served as President of Tynwald these last five years has been an immense privilege, and such a decision has not been taken lightly.
’The opportunity afforded by Tynwald for public service to the Isle of Man has been a hugely enjoyable experience for me all of these past 26 years, and in latterly carrying out the duty of President there could be no greater an honour.
’I am grateful for both the political friendship and exemplary support of parliamentary staff given over the years.’
Attention will now focus on who will be in the running for Mr Rodan’s successor as Tynwald President.
Speaker Juan Watterson has already thrown his hat into the ring.
Speaking in September, Mr Watterson said the normal path would be that the Speaker would take on the role, because there would be no one else with any presiding officer experience to do the job.
But there could be others in the frame. Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly is another possible candidate who would likely get significant support in the House of Keys.
Current Chief Minister Howard Quayle is also understood to have previously considered taking on the President’s role.
Born and raised in Glasgow, Mr Rodan attended Edinburgh and Heriot Watt Universities graduating with a BSc (Hons) in pharmacy in 1977.
Mr Rodan subsequently worked in Bermuda for seven years and has continued his professional interest as proprietor of Laxey Pharmacy.
His parliamentary career began in Scotland in the late 70s when as a member of the Scottish Liberal Party he stood as the parliamentary candidate for Moray and Nairn in 1979.
After moving to the Isle of Man in 1987 he first served on Laxey Village Commissioners and after a two-year period as chairman, in 1995 he first stood and was elected as MHK for Garff.
He retained the seat in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011 before being elected as Tynwald President in 2016.
During his time as an MHK he served as chairman of the planning committee and then secured his first ministerial post in 1999 at the Department of Education.
In 2004 he was appointed Minister for Health and Social Security a post he held until elected as Speaker of the House of Keys following the general election in 2006.
Mr Rodan is also joint president of the Isle of Man Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
He led a good governance delegation to the Turks and Caicos in 2013 and then in 2015 was head of an election observer mission to the British Virgin Islands, and in 2017 to the Cayman Islands.
He has published articles in The Parliamentarian on voting at 16, and parliamentary benchmarking.
Outside of his parliamentary life he has served on a number of community bodies in Laxey including the Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust.
He was appointed OBE in 2019 in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for outstanding service and dedication to the Isle of Man.
Mr Rodan is married to Ana and they have two daughters.
For many years he was a member of the Ellan Vannin Pipes and Drums, two of them as Pipe Major.