Ireland’s Centre-right Coalition Poised for Continued Dominance. The two main centre-right parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, are expected to retain power after the general election, winning 86 seats just shy of the majority needed.
Ireland Election: Centre-right Parties Expected to Retain Power
The two main centre-right parties in Ireland, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, are expected to retain power after the general election. According to the latest results, both parties have won 86 seats, just two shy of the 88 needed for a majority.
Election Results
With all Teachta Dála (TD) seats filled by 10pm on Monday evening, Fianna Fáil – led by Micheál Martin – and Fine Gael – led by the taoiseach, Simon Harris – are on course to being the largest parties in the Dáil.
Talks Expected
The two main centre-right parties are expected to start talks on returning to government as the election results show incumbents closing in on the majority needed to govern. The parties will likely hold discussions to hammer out a coalition deal and seek a third partner.
Background
The general election was held on Monday, December 2, 2024. The election saw a surge in support for independent candidates, but Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael managed to retain their lead.
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Sources
The information in this article is based on reports from Euractiv, a leading European news source. The article cites sources from the Guardian and other reputable news outlets.
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Fianna Fáil: 48 seats
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Fine Gael: 38 seats
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Sinn Féin: 39 seats
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Independents/Other: 21 seats
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Social Democrats: 11 seats
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Labour: 11 seats
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People Before Profit: 3 seats
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Aontú: 2 seats
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Greens: 1 seat
Coalition Talks
The two parties are expected to start talks on returning to government. Fianna Fáil’s deputy leader, Jack Chambers, said that the talks could last for weeks but not as long as the near-five months it took for their coalition with Fine Gael to crystallise last time.
Sinn Féin’s Role
The Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, has already reached out to the Social Democrats and Labour. Eoin Ó Broin, one of the most senior members of the party, said that they would meet on Wednesday to assess where they would take things at that stage.
Labour’s Position
Ivana Bacik, the Labour leader, described her party’s results as “formidable” given only four sitting TDs had sought re-election. She stated that they would not consider going it alone into a coalition with the two big parties and would first assess the position of parties on the left.
Social Democrats’ Red Lines
The Social Democrats have said they are prepared to talk to the established parties but have five red lines, including the demand for a disability minister. Subsequent results showed the party with a 19% share, representing a significant fall on four years ago.
References
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The Guardian: “Centre-right Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael set to retain power in Ireland”
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Euractiv: Various articles related to the Irish election and European politics
