Ireland’s Government in Flux After Election Leaves Centre-Right Parties to Form Coalition
Ireland’s two large centre-right parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, were poised to return to power after the country’s recent election, but may require at least one smaller party to secure a majority, raising concerns about the stability of the next government.
According to preliminary results, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were leading with 20.5% and 21.9% of first-preference votes respectively, while left-wing Sinn Fein trailed on 19.1%. However, the two largest parties have ruled out working with Sinn Fein, leaving them to seek cooperation with smaller centre-left parties such as Labour and the Social Democrats.
The situation is complicated by the approach of the inauguration of new US President Donald Trump, who has pledged to make significant changes to corporate taxes and trade policies that could impact Ireland’s economy.
Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin and Fine Gael’s Simon Harris both expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of forming a government, suggesting that a coalition with Labour and the Social Democrats may be the most likely solution.
The final outcome remains uncertain, with a complex proportional representation system making it difficult to predict the result until Sunday. The possibility of prolonged negotiations or a fragile coalition government ahead is a concern, particularly with the challenges posed by President-elect Trump’s policies looming on the horizon.