Check out the link below to see the latest opinion polls.

 

The current government is led by Edna Kenny leader of Fine Gael who is thought to have generally helped bring about a economic recovery. Opinion polls believe they will be the first Fine Gael government to be re-elected by the Irish people. But at the expense of their coalition partners the Irish Labour Party who will go the way of the English Lib Dems and be rejected by non Labour voters and labour voters due to their agreement to follow the austerity policies of FG. Many of these voters will move to an increasingly vibrant Sinn Fein party who are similar to the SNP in Irish politics being populist nationalist who are opposed to austerity and fairly Marxist. They want to be in government north and south which would be great for the party ESP with the 100th anniversary of the 1916 rising in the coming months. But it's unlikely any of the other parties will go into coalition with them.

 

Another factor in the election was the two gangland killings this week which has brought law and order to the centre of attention to the detriment of parties like SF.

 

It's a short three week campaign.

 

 

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/poll

Edited February 10, 20169 yr by Steve201

I cannot believe I just read a sentence that said the SNP and SF are similar. One is descended from a TERRORIST GROUP and the other is currently peacefully creating a one party state. That's a fairly big difference.

the other is currently peacefully creating a one party state.

http://www.moopy.org.uk/forums/images/smilies/grin.gif (more at the sentence rather than it being inaccurate)

I cannot believe I just read a sentence that said the SNP and SF are similar. One is descended from a TERRORIST GROUP and the other is currently peacefully creating a one party state. That's a fairly big difference.

There's a joke in there somewhere.

Also Silas is right, there's fuck all Marxist about the SNP. Anti-austerity in rhetoric rather than deed, as opposed to Sinn Fein.

 

I have no idea why Labour didn't learn the lesson of the Lib Dems to not go into active coalition, but I hope Joan doesn't oversee a total disaster.

I cannot believe I just read a sentence that said the SNP and SF are similar. One is descended from a TERRORIST GROUP and the other is currently peacefully creating a one party state. That's a fairly big difference.

 

 

If you read the sentence I said they are similar because they are currently a populist nationalist party and anti-austerity - I didnt say they were the same parties at all and the link to the IRA was never mentioned. Many articles in the past 5 years have linked the left wing support since the financial crash by mentioning SF, the SNP, Podemos and Syriza in the same breath.

 

If you understood Irish Politics though SF came long before the IRA so that is wrong in itself.

 

I was just trying to do a quick overview off the top of my head at any rate which hoped to raise some debate about the actual election in 2 weeks time and not the nature of the Irish conflict :rolleyes:

Edited February 10, 20169 yr by Steve201

I voted. I ignored the 3 big parties - I hope the most of the country does the same.

 

I'm lucky that I live in a constituency where this is a choice.

Am I right in assuming that the count doesn't start until tomorrow morning?

I voted. I ignored the 3 big parties - I hope the most of the country does the same.

 

I'm lucky that I live in a constituency where this is a choice.

Who did you vote for? Sinn Fein or the Social Democrats?

Who did you vote for? Sinn Fein or the Social Democrats?

 

 

Both of those and a handful of independents. Top preference went to Social Democrats' Gary Gannon because he has nice eyes :wub:

Am I right in assuming that the count doesn't start until tomorrow morning?

 

 

I assume so.

I just voted this morning, first time for me in Ireland, as a UK citizen resident in Ireland you have the vote in certain elections.

 

also, I have an expat vote, I can vote in UK elections.

 

I have voted in both countries elections in the space of less than a year, Last May the UK election, now February 2016 the Irish.

 

 

I just voted this morning, first time for me in Ireland, as a UK citizen resident in Ireland you have the vote in certain elections.

 

also, I have an expat vote, I can vote in UK elections.

 

I have voted in both countries elections in the space of less than a year, Last May the UK election, now February 2016 the Irish.

Hope you enjoyed your first chance to vote using a properly democratic voting system.

Am I right in assuming that the count doesn't start until tomorrow morning?

 

The RTE coverage begins tomorrow afternoon at 2pm and goes on for around 12 hours.

Who did you vote for? Sinn Fein or the Social Democrats?

 

Let's hope after this SF will be one of the 'big three parties'!

The RTE coverage begins tomorrow afternoon at 2pm and goes on for around 12 hours.

I shall probably drop in and out on the website, as I have done for other Irish votes since my time working there.

1st Exit Poll from the Irish Times shows the FG/Labour coalition hasn't done enough to continue -

 

The poll indicates the first preference votes of the parties is: Fine Gael 26.1 per cent; Labour 7.8 per cent; Fianna Fáil 22.9 per cent; Sinn Féin 14.9; AAA/PBP 3.6 per cent; Greens 3.5 per cent; Social Democrats 2.8 per cent; Renua 2.6 per cent; Others 28.3 per cent.

 

SF will always struggle with the STV system and labour will gain from FG vote base - FG will be projected to be on around 50-55 seats but started the campaign with 36.1% of the vote and ended up here 10% down. FF will be on 40 seats, Labour 8-12 seats and SF up from 14 to 20-25 seats!

Elected So Far

 

Sean Barrett FINE GAEL - Ceann Comhairle

Elected in count 1

 

Constituency

Dún Laoghaire

 

Seán Fleming FIANNA FÁIL

Elected in count 1

 

 

Constituency

Laois

 

Shane Ross INDEPENDENT ALLIANCE

Elected in count 2

 

 

Constituency

Dublin Rathdown