Tags: Election.
The 1959 Fianna Fáil leadership election began in June 1959 when Éamon de Valera resigned as party leader and Taoiseach to take up the post of President of Ireland. De Valera had been leader since the foundation of the party in 1926 and had served as Taoiseach on three occasions. His successor was elected by the members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 22 June 1959. After one ballot the election was won by Seán Lemass. He was elected Taoiseach in Dáil Éireann on the following day.