The Republic of Ireland's outgoing taoiseach Enda Kenny has pledged to fully support his successor.
The next taoiseach is expected to be known early on Friday evening when votes to elect the next leader of the Fine Gael party are counted in the Mansion House in Dublin.
Leo Varadkar, the Republic's first openly gay cabinet minister and the son of an immigrant doctor, has been the clear favourite.
The 38-year-old from Dublin battled for the coveted role against Simon Coveney, a 44-year-old father-of-three from Cork.
In a series of messages on Twitter Mr Kenny sent both men good wishes and said they had energised the party.
1/5 - I remember this day almost 15 years ago & the sense of excitement & possibility.
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) June 2, 2017
2/5 - On this very important day in their lives, I want to wish both @simoncoveney and @campaignforleo every good wish in today's election.
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) June 2, 2017
3/5 Their participation in this internal election has been democratically valuable & has energised the @FineGael party across Ireland.
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) June 2, 2017
4/5 - I pledge my full support to whoever is elected, in the important work at Govt level, to which the new leader will have to dedicate...
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) June 2, 2017
5/5 ..their life in service of the people of this great Republic. My enduring belief in the potential of this country is boundless.
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) June 2, 2017
The Fine Gael leadership race and with it the fight to be taoiseach began in earnest in the middle of May after Mr Kenny confirmed the long-awaited date for his departure.
Voting took place around the country this week.
It is decided in an electoral college system that gives the Fine Gael parliamentary party, made up of 73 TDs, senators and MEPs, 65% of the vote. They will cast their ballots in Leinster House in Dublin between 8am and midday on Friday.
The 21,000 rank-and-file members of the party have 25% and 235 local representatives 10%.
The new taoiseach is not expected to be formally confirmed until June 13 when the Dail parliament resumes following a week-long break.
Mr Kenny, from Castlebar, Co Mayo, led the party for 15 years and has been at the head of two governments for more than six years.
He delayed his resignation on a number of occasions this year.
First he asked colleagues for time to visit the US for the annual St Patrick's Day celebrations and to meet President Donald Trump, continuing the unique tradition Ireland has of access to the White House every March 17.
He stayed on to attend the European Council summit in Brussels at the end of April where the priorities for the Brexit negotiations were agreed.
Behind the scenes, the race to succeed Mr Kenny has been going on for months with Mr Varadkar's and Mr Coveney's intentions well known.
Among Mr Kenny's final official overseas engagements will be a two-day trade mission to Chicago next week and the centenary commemoration of the start of the Battle of Messines in the First World War where soldiers from all over Ireland fought together.
