Ireland seems to be an exception in Europe. Contrary to what we observe in all other European countries, the situation there is quite atypical: the extreme right has no electoral weight in the country. In any case, not at the moment.
2 mins
with our correspondent in Dublin, Clemence Pénard
The far right is not really represented in Parliament Irish. Even Aontú, the most right-wing party – a very small party in fact – is not considered far-right here. There are still small groups which advocate far-right ideas. We remember last November the riots in Dublin.
Unprecedented scenes of violence in the capital, with citizens chanting: “ Irish Lives matter “, ” Irish lives matter “, or ” Get them out “, ” send them home “. Racist slogans, which Ireland never thought it would hear on its soil.
There is therefore a certain popular anger, but these groups do not have an elaborate political discourse. However, the fertile ground for the rise of some of these far-right ideas is there. It should be noted that Irish society has changed drastically, and in a short time. Thirty years ago, the population was white and predominantly Catholic.
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Migrants on the rise
The figures are quite telling: in 2021, for example, there were fewer than 10,000 asylum seekers in Ireland. In 2022, we will almost reach 100,000, including 74,000 who come from Ukrainethe others mainly from sub-Saharan Africa or Afghanistan.
So, for some time now, the priorities of the Irish have started to change. The main point of tension is the housing crisis. The phenomenon is not new, but the situation has only gotten worse.
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And with this massive arrival of asylum seekers, these anti-immigrant movements were then fueled by the real estate shortage. There were arson attacks targeting refugee accommodation, migrant tents torn apart.
And yet, despite this anger, which therefore links the real estate crisis and the reception of migrants, no political party in Ireland has made a fuss of it, including for the European elections.
The ambivalence of Sinn Fein supporters
But another voice is increasingly heard, that of Sinn Fein, a left-wing, socially liberal and pro-immigrant party. Yet their electoral base is perhaps the one most opposed to migrants, in a rather ambivalent way.
Sinn Fein has not moved on the issue of immigration and is unlikely to do so, given its history as a protector of minority rights in Northern Ireland. But it is a tension the party will need to resolve if Sinn Féin ever comes to power.