The mutual backslapping between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael marked a watershed moment in Irish politics, but voters need more choices than just a hard-left coalition or the status quo
The mutual backslapping between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael marked a watershed moment in Irish politics, but voters need more choices than just a hard left coalition or the status quoTaoiseach Simon Harris at the RDS during the count for the European elections. A seasoned former politician remarked to me that it was strange indeed to see the former Civil War parties congratulating themselves and each other for reaching 22% support levels each in local elections.
If there is a general election this autumn, as most believe quite likely, the time for Sinn Féin to refloat its fortunes is very limited as we are now in the run-up to the summer break and the pre-budget political silly season. Local party members have little or no autonomy. Every member is bound by Leninist principles of “democratic centralism” to publicly uphold without hesitation the policy line decided in private on pain of suspension or expulsion for deviation.
But does all this fightback by the centre mean that the people will be confined to a non-choice of re-electing the present Government in the autumn or choosing a hard left coalition dominated by a winded but recovering Sinn Féin? Will there be centre options other than a re-election of the present coalition?
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