Polling stations closed at 10 p.m. on Friday and the counting of votes did not begin until 9 a.m. this Saturday morning (local time), the day after the Irish legislative elections. But everything seems to indicate a return to power of the two centrist parties. Ireland would therefore be one of the very few countries where an election is being held this year not to have overthrown its existing government.
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Crossed in front of a polling station in DublinPaul sees less appeal for “radical” change, since Donald Trump’s victory in the United States and his threats to the Irish economy. “ I believe it is essential to preserve the stability of government and ensure that revenues continue to flow. Stability is essential, and I doubt that Sinn Féin can guarantee it at this stage. No one really knows what they would do if they came to power. », he confides to our correspondent in Dublin, Clemence Pénard.
The counting of votes began on Saturday morning the day after the legislative elections, which seem to place the centrist parties of the outgoing coalition neck and neck with the nationalist party Sinn Fein, according to an exit poll. Fine Gael, the Prime Minister’s party Simon Harrisshould thus, as over the last five years, renew a coalition with Fianna Fáil.
Good scores for opposition party Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin, the historic opposition party, which advocates the reunification of Ireland, nevertheless achieved very good results. This former political wing of the IRA paramilitary group, which fought the British in Northern Ireland for decades until the 1998 peace deal, is believed to have even a slight advance in relation to the two parties in power. But both rejected, throughout the campaign, an alliance with Sinn Féin.
Much to Hazel’s dismay. “ This whole circus with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil pretending to fight, then ultimately forming a coalition? This is totally absurd! They just don’t want to give up power. For fourteen years the government has been repeating the same things over and over again… I sincerely hope there will be real change this time, because we need it “, she says.
Several days to have the final results
At midday this Saturday, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are well placed to continue to be the two main pillars of the ruling coalition in Ireland. All that will remain is to find a third small supporting party, Labor or the Greens, to form a solid majority. After the last elections, in 2020, won by number of votes by Sinn Fein, the two centrist parties had already formed a government coalition with the Greens.
However, it will probably be necessary to wait several days to have the final results, due to a complex voting system. The composition of the Dail, the lower house of the Irish Parliament, where 174 deputies will sit, will only be known after the total count.
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