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General Election Ireland
Today in Ireland a general election was held for the first time in four years. All candidates will be vying for a seat in the 158 seat Parliament, Dail Eireann. The key number is 79 seats, win that or arrange it through deal breaking with others and you can have power. The outgoing and biggest party Fine Gael led by Leo Varadkar is predicted to lose seats and thus government. Whether power was to be given to Fianna Fail (Irelands biggest opposition party) or to a rising Sinn Fein (the party of the Provisional IRA) is now to be uncovered.
There were a host of smaller parties too taking part in the election in Ireland from the centre-left who may yet be kingmakers in a coalition government. They are the Greens (environmentalist and urban), the Labour party (traditional party of the working class in Ireland), the Social Democrats (breakaway party of Labour and more left wing), Aontu (breakaway party from Sinn Fein and more traditional left wing) and People Before Profit (basically communist lite). There are also some new parties established since the last election in Ireland who are also vying for support from the right. These are Renua (conservative, pro life and pro religion) Irexit (anti EU) and the National party (very like UKIP anti EU and anti liberalism). Added to both groups are a range of Independents of no political party but a wide variety of opinions on the issues. They are expected above all else to do well if coalition talks begin.
The first exit poll has Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein all around 22-24%. This could be interesting once votes begin to be counted tomorrow. Coalition government or another election.
Published in General
Throw the bums out! Send the scalawags in.
So these are the parties I should root for, right?
Also, thanks for the information!
I have always voted Fianna Fáil-until this time. Their useless leader Micheál Martin abandoned and insulted the Party’s conservative base and tried to win the approval of liberal elites. He and his mutton-headed acolytes, Billy Kelleher, Lisa Chambers, Timmy Dooley and the ultimate (expletive) Niall Collins (of “huge Jewish Lobby“infamy) have been flushed down the toilet of Irish political history. Pro-abortionists, Israel boycotters, high-taxers the lot of them. I actually went out of my way to warn those I could but they thought they had figured it all out. They deserve every scintilla of opprobrium they will get. When Charlie Haughey led them in the 1980s the press and the Dublin 4 set despised them, but they were almost always in power. And to be smaller than the terrorist-apologists Sinn Féiners is a failure beyond comprehension.
Ricochet is fortunate to have members all over the world to keep us informed about local conditions without any “press” filters. Just the truth. Thank you!!
Sounds like they may be doing voting the way it ought to be done. Paper ballots?
Keep us informed.
Nope so far it’s looking like the predicted rise of Sinn Fein is still on track. Things will get a lot worse before they get better in Ireland.
https://m.independent.ie/opinion/comment/so-why-didnt-younger-voters-care-about-sinn-fein-crimes-38937972.html
Renua was formed by a highly competent former Fine Gaeler Lucinda Creighton. When she failed to keep her seat she retired from politics and the party has floundered since. I’d like to support them but they’ve shown a lack of judgement numerous times. I mean they offered the leadership of the party to Peter Casey, a Trump wannabee who had a strong showing at the last presidential election. He’s not even pro life. He turned it down by the way, he thought the big parties would want him. They didn’t.
As for the National Party, their existence is a gift to leftie journalists who want to whip up a moral panic about the rise of the far right. I’ve met some of their supporters and I didn’t care for their anti Semitic sentiments.
I don’t agree with the definition of Aontu as traditional left. Peadar Toibin has repeatedly said this. It’s not clear yet if they’ll get 2 percent of the first preferences. If they do they will be entitled to funding which they can build on.
Not a bad idea to follow Dave Cullens YouTube channel too. https://youtu.be/WydmwuwHIoQ
In my limited knowledge of your politics, I would hope Varadkar loses big time. He seems to me to be a fake conservative.
Thank you Paddy. I pray that Ireland can return to pro-life.
It won’t happen for a long time Manny. It may not even happen in my own lifetime. It’s not on the agenda anymore. Simon Harris minister for health who made repealing the 8th amendment will be returned comfortably despite his abysmal record.
Varadkar is conservative in economic issues but that’s all. Now we are possibly looking at a left wing government for the first time. A coalition of Sinn Fein, Greens, People Before Profit or any of the others on the left is chilling scenario.
The Irish media/political class has for the last 4 years been castigating the British and American (and sundry other) electorates for committing the mortal sins of nationalism and populism. Well they don’t come much more nationalist or populist than Sinn Féin. Our version, sadly, has a Marxist/terrorist flavour, Corbynesque one might say.
My prayers for Ireland.
On the bright side, Kate O’Connell is in trouble and Catherine Noone wasn’t at the races at all