Government lawmaker tells Irish PM to step down by September

Ireland's Prime Minister Enda Kenny leaves after the EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 29, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Vidal

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny resisted a call on Monday from a lawmaker of his Fine Gael party to step down over the next two months, rejecting the first open challenge to make good on a promise to allow a change of leadership.

Kenny returned to office in May as head of a minority government that is due to run until the end of 2018. He has said he will not lead his centre-right party into the next election but not specified when he will stand down.