Five days have passed since the local and European elections took place, and certain discernible patterns are beginning to appear.
Jennifer Bray, a political correspondent, has shared her thoughts, stating the level of anticipation and unpredictability surrounding this local election is unprecedented. She attributed this to the complex nature of Irish politics, which in turn, provides an intriguing political landscape.
Even as certain political parties like Sinn Féin struggled with a substantial decrease in their Irish voter base, which has raised eyebrows towards Mary Lou McDonald’s leadership and the party’s electoral approach, other political factions have experienced surprising successes. Fianna Fáil, recognised as the largest party within local governance, and Fine Gael have registered an unexpected surge in their ratings.
There were contrasting fortunes for independent candidates who enjoyed significant achievements across the country. Despite failing to catch the attention of many voters in the local elections, anti-immigrant candidates have seen a few members elected. Across Europe, far-right parties experienced considerable growth in several nations.
But what implications do these election outcomes have for Ireland and its citizens? ‘In The News’ dissect the implications of the top five highlights from the local and European elections.
The analysis was provided by Sorcha Pollak and production conducted by Aideen Finnegan.