Ireland’s far-right parties are approaching elections but may need a new ally By Reuters

By Padraic Halpin and Conor Humphries

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland’s two main right-wing parties are expected to be restored after Friday’s election, but it may take one youth to reach a majority, raising questions about the stability of the next government. .

The parties could face protracted negotiations or a tentative deal ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, whose promise to cut corporate taxes and impose tariffs poses a major threat to the Irish economy.

The outgoing government parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were on 21% and 19.5% respectively in the exit polls, a touch behind left-wing Sinn Fein on 21.1%

With two centre-right parties having decided on a coalition with Sinn Fein, the big question was how close to the 88 seats needed for a majority the two would secure – and whether they would need one or two parties to cross the line. .

“If they’re all at 20%, that’ll get them close to 80 seats, I suspect, so who’s going to get in,” said Dublin City University politics professor Gary Murphy.

In order to have a stable government, they hope that the smaller parties on the left of the center and the likely Labor or Social Democrats will win 11 or 12 seats, Murphy said. A four-party coalition can be very fragile.

The current minority coalition party, the Greens, got 4% support, down from 7% in the last election. This could see their numbers drop from 12 to three, said party member Ciaran Cuffe.

The official counting of votes began at 0900 GMT and is expected to continue on Sunday in most constituencies under Ireland’s system of representation known as single vote.

The plan is supposed to give major parties more seats than their number of votes, but the seat count may not come out until Sunday.

PROVISIONAL BUDGET

Prime Minister Simon Harris called the election after 10.5 billion euros ($11 billion) went into voters’ pockets during the campaign, made possible by billions of euros in foreign corporate taxes.

However, his Fine Gael party’s flawed campaign, which culminated last weekend in a video of Harris walking away from an angry care worker, cost them their lead before the end.

The government parties also faced great frustration during the campaign for failing to convert Europe’s best public funds into public services.

Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army, appeared to lead the next government a year ago but was supported by 30-35%, partly due to anger among liberal workers. process.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, former rivals who have led each government since the government was formed nearly a century ago, agreed to share the prime ministership in the previous government, alternating roles between five years. A similar arrangement is seen this time as well.