Voters have dealt a bracing blow to Ireland’s governing party, knocking the ruling Fianna Fail to the worst result in its 85-year history. According to an exit poll, Fianna Fail, which means ‘Warriors of Destiny’ in Irish, will win just 15 percent of the vote and retain only about 20 of the 78 seats it won in the last election. Several cabinet ministers appeared in serious jeopardy of losing their seats at press time, including the deputy prime minister.
The first official results indicated the party would lose all but one of its 13 seats in Dublin alone, where more than a third of the country resides. The party’s lone surviving Dublin MP, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, characterized the result as a “hammering” for Fianna Fail.
Fianna Fail, which has dominated Irish politics for most of its history, is being punished for the implosion of Ireland’s housing market and its once-booming “Celtic Tiger” economy. The outgoing Fianna Fail-led government was forced to accept a massively unpopular $93 billion bailout package from the European Union and IMF to save the Irish economy–resulting in deep spending cuts and tax hikes–after repeatedly denying that a bailout was necessary. Ireland also continues to struggle with a nearly 14 percent unemployment rate.
The main opposition Fine Gael, or ‘Family of the Irish’ appeared to benefit most from voter disgust with Fianna Fail. The same exit poll showed the party on course for its best result since 1982 with about 36 percent of the vote, falling just short of winning enough seats to govern on its own. Eighty-four seats are needed for an overall majority in Ireland’s 166-member parliament.
Although Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are both broadly right-of-center in their political outlook, a coalition between the two parties appeared unlikely due to lingering bitterness from Ireland’s 1922-23 civil war, in which supporters of the parties fought on opposing sides. Rather, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenney seemed most likely to form a coalition with Ireland’s perennially third-placed Labour party, which was on course for its best result ever, coming in second with 20 percent of the vote.
Fine Gael has never come to power except in coalition with the center-left Labour, despite their opposing political viewpoints.
Both parties have pledged to renegotiate the terms of the EU-IMF bailout package. However, they will struggle to find common ground on a range of issues, from taxation to tackling Ireland’s massive debt, which is expected to rise to more than 100 percent of GDP within a year.
Despite Fianna Fail’s electoral meltdown, political commentators have cautioned not to count the party out just yet. Fianna Fail has endured several crises in the past, having run Ireland for 61 of the past 79 years.
In an interview with Ireland’s national radio broadcaster, the party’s elections director said, “When people are angry, when you’ve just cut their pay packets, you are not going to be top of the pops.”
“This is not the end for Fianna Fail.”
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Irish Voters Slay the Warriors of Destiny
February 26, 2011
Voters have dealt a bracing blow to Ireland’s governing party, knocking the ruling Fianna Fail to the worst result in its 85-year history. According to an exit poll, Fianna Fail, which means ‘Warriors of Destiny’ in Irish, will win just 15 percent of the vote and retain only about 20 of the 78 seats it won in the last election. Several cabinet ministers appeared in serious jeopardy of losing their seats at press time, including the deputy prime minister.
The first official results indicated the party would lose all but one of its 13 seats in Dublin alone, where more than a third of the country resides. The party’s lone surviving Dublin MP, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, characterized the result as a “hammering” for Fianna Fail.
Fianna Fail, which has dominated Irish politics for most of its history, is being punished for the implosion of Ireland’s housing market and its once-booming “Celtic Tiger” economy. The outgoing Fianna Fail-led government was forced to accept a massively unpopular $93 billion bailout package from the European Union and IMF to save the Irish economy–resulting in deep spending cuts and tax hikes–after repeatedly denying that a bailout was necessary. Ireland also continues to struggle with a nearly 14 percent unemployment rate.
The main opposition Fine Gael, or ‘Family of the Irish’ appeared to benefit most from voter disgust with Fianna Fail. The same exit poll showed the party on course for its best result since 1982 with about 36 percent of the vote, falling just short of winning enough seats to govern on its own. Eighty-four seats are needed for an overall majority in Ireland’s 166-member parliament.
Although Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are both broadly right-of-center in their political outlook, a coalition between the two parties appeared unlikely due to lingering bitterness from Ireland’s 1922-23 civil war, in which supporters of the parties fought on opposing sides. Rather, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenney seemed most likely to form a coalition with Ireland’s perennially third-placed Labour party, which was on course for its best result ever, coming in second with 20 percent of the vote.
Fine Gael has never come to power except in coalition with the center-left Labour, despite their opposing political viewpoints.
Both parties have pledged to renegotiate the terms of the EU-IMF bailout package. However, they will struggle to find common ground on a range of issues, from taxation to tackling Ireland’s massive debt, which is expected to rise to more than 100 percent of GDP within a year.
Despite Fianna Fail’s electoral meltdown, political commentators have cautioned not to count the party out just yet. Fianna Fail has endured several crises in the past, having run Ireland for 61 of the past 79 years.
In an interview with Ireland’s national radio broadcaster, the party’s elections director said, “When people are angry, when you’ve just cut their pay packets, you are not going to be top of the pops.”
“This is not the end for Fianna Fail.”
