DUBLIN (AP) – Ireland's two long-dominant centre-right parties looked likely to form a new government after a divided national election, but with declining vote shares and Complex coalition negotiations are ahead.
As vote counting continues on Sunday, it remains to be seen who will win the most seats in the Dáil, the 174-member Dáil, between the incumbent ruling parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, and the centre-left opposition party Sinn Féin. They were fighting.
Sinn Féin, which aims to reunify the Republic of Ireland and British Northern Ireland, has historical ties to the Irish Republican Army, and the two other parties have said they will not cooperate with Sinn Féin, making it impossible for the party to rule. Lack of clear path to acquisition. Amid 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland.
Results announced on Saturday showed outgoing Fine Gael Prime Minister Simon Harris, Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald all won re-election.
Ireland has a complex system of proportional representation, with each of the country's 43 constituencies electing multiple members and voters ranking the candidates in order of preference. Therefore, it may take several days to see the full results.
“The Irish people have now spoken out,” Harris said. “We need to understand exactly what they said, and that will take some time.”
Some results from Friday's election showed voters widely split their votes between the three major parties, several smaller parties, and independent candidates, with the possibility that smaller parties and independents could form a coalition. is high.
The cost of living, particularly Ireland's severe housing crisis, was a key theme of the three-week campaign, along with immigration. The issue is an emotional and difficult one for this country of 5.4 million people, long defined by immigration.
If early results bear out, Ireland could buck a global trend of incumbents being ousted by disgruntled voters after years of the pandemic, international instability and strained living costs.
The outgoing government was led by the two political parties that have dominated Irish politics for the past century. Although Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have similar policies, they are long-standing rivals with roots on opposing sides in the Irish Civil War in the 1920s. They formed a coalition after the 2020 election ended in a virtual dead heat.
Fine Gael candidate and outgoing government minister Paschal Donohoe said the main theme of the election was “one of staying centrist”.
Nevertheless, voter dissatisfaction manifested itself in some unexpected outcomes. Among the many independent candidates is Jerry “The Monk” Hatch, a reputed organized crime boss who was released from bail on money laundering charges in Spain in November to run for election. After that, support skyrocketed.
Partial results suggested Mr Hutch, who was acquitted last year of murdering a gang rival, was likely to win a seat in Dublin.
