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Ireland - Politics

Irish politics remain dominated by the two political parties that grew out of Ireland's bitter 1922-23 civil war. Fianna Fail was formed by those who opposed the 1921 treaty that partitioned the island. Although treaty opponents lost the civil war, Fianna Fail soon became Ireland's largest political party. Fine Gael, representative of the pro-treaty forces, remains the country's second-largest party. These center-right parties have never shared power.

By the 1990s, however, there were signs that this largely two-party structure was evolving. Mary Robinson of the Labour Party shocked the political establishment by winning the 1990 presidential election. Articulating a progressive agenda for Ireland's future and outspoken on social issues, Robinson represented a distinct break from the traditional politics of the two major parties. The November 1992 general election confirmed this trend. The two main parties lost ground as the Labour Party scored an historic breakthrough, winning 19% of the vote and 33 seats in the House. As a result of the election, Labour held the balance of power between the two largest parties and initially chose to go into coalition with Fianna Fail. That government collapsed in November 1994, and Labour again demonstrated its new role when it dictated the terms of a new "rainbow" government coalition with Fine Gael and the Democratic Left.

The year 1997, however, saw a return to a more traditional model. In the June general election, Labour lost heavily and was reduced to 18 seats in the Dail. Though Fianna Fail did not win an outright majority, it increased its seats to 76 (currently 75) and was able to form a coalition with the much smaller (4 seats) Progressive Democrats. Fine Gael also picked up seats but was unable to form a coalition with the much-reduced Labour party. In the November 1997 presidential election, Fianna Fail candidate Mary McAleese, a lawyer from Northern Ireland, won a record victory over four other candidates.

As a result of the 1997 elections, a minority government led by Taoiseach (prime minister) Bertie Ahern of Fianna Fail took office. Mary Harney, who heads the Progressive Democrats Party, serves as the Tanaiste (deputy prime minister, pronounced "TAW-nish-tuh") and Minister for Enterprise, Employment, and Trade. The coalition relies on the support of four independent members to give it a governing majority. In 1999, the Labour Party absorbed the smaller party of the Democratic Left, bringing its total number of seats in the Dail to 21.

Since coming to power, the government of Prime Minister Ahern presided over a strong economy. Ireland boasts the highest growth rate of any country in the OECD, low unemployment, and a surplus in the country's finances. However, the "Celtic Tiger's" inflation rate has edged up over the past year. To address this concern, Prime Minister Ahern has pledged action to curb inflation and, thereby, sustain sound economic growth. On the diplomatic front, the government has played a key role in brokering a lasting peace in Northern Ireland, in bolstering Ireland's role in the European Union, and in leading Ireland to join NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1999.

The May 2002 national elections returned Fianna Fail and its coalition partner, the Progressive Democrats, to power. Fianna Fail increased its seats in the Dail to 81 while the Progressive Democrats doubled their representation to 8 seats. Fine Gael lost a total of 23 seats, primarily to a number of smaller parties and independents. Sinn Fein increased its representation in the Dail from 1 to 5 seats in the May 17 election. Prime Minister Ahern was re-elected Taoiseach on June 6, and organized the government with very few changes in the ministerial appointments; Mary Harney remained Tanaiste.

Local and European elections took place in June 2004 and saw gains for opposition parties. The election also featured a referendum on citizenship. Until that time, Ireland had granted citizenship on the basis of birth on Irish soil. Concerns about security and social welfare abuse prompted the government to seek to bring citizenship laws in line with the more restrictive policies prevalent in the rest of Europe, and the 2004 referendum measure passed by a wide majority. Now, persons with non-Irish parents can acquire Irish citizenship at birth only if at least one parent has been resident in Ireland for three years preceding the birth.

The May 2007 national elections brought the Fianna Fail party and its leader Bertie Ahern back to power in a coalition government for an unprecedented third five-year term. Coalition members joining Fianna Fail were the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats. The Mahon Tribunal was investigating allegations of corruption against the PM when he was Minister of Finance in the early 1990s. However, the PM has not suffered politically -- the coalition remains intact and in September 2007, he survived a vote of no confidence on the issue. Ahern appointed Finance Minister Brian Cowen Deputy Prime Minister (Tanaiste). The Foreign Minister was Dermot Ahern (no relation to the Taoiseach).

On April 2, 2008 Prime Minister Ahern announced his intention to resign as leader of Fianna Fail and Taoiseach on May 6, stating, in part, that the Mahon Tribunal investigation into corruption charges against him was distracting the government from its business. The Taoiseach's bombshell announcement caught Ireland by surprise. There were many kind words for Ahern's accomplishments, particularly regarding the Irish role in the Northern Ireland peace process and Ireland's "Celtic Tiger" economic growth.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen was elected leader of Fianna Fail on April 5, and assumed office on May 6. He was elected Taoiseach on May 7. Cowen appointed Mary Coughlan, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment as Tanaiste. The Foreign Minister is Micheal Martin. While Cowen's Cabinet changes were more extensive than expected, members of the previous Cabinet have been largely shuffled around rather than moved out. Fianna Fail's coalition partnership remains solid; Fianna Fail's indispensable Green Party and Progressive Democrats coalition Ministers were retained.

By mid 2009 the Fianna Fail/Green Party coalition recorded the lowest satisfaction rating of any Irish government since polling began in the early 1980s. According to a 29 May 2009 Irish Times poll, only 12 percent of those polled were satisfied with the government. Support for Fine Gael, the main opposition party, was at 36 percent. Fianna Fail's support stood at 20 percent. The Green Party's support was three percent. Prime Minister Brian Cowen's approval rating was 21 percent. The coalition still held a majority of four seats, but with the Greens holding six and the Independents holding five, a defection by either group could bring down the government. The Labour Party's support of 23 percent was particularly significant because Fianna Fail -- for the first time in the Republic's 87 history -- was the third most popular party.

While successive Governments had been able to govern well in “backs-to-the-wall” mode, Ireland struggled as a society to do necessary, far-sighted things. Water charges were overturned despite two thirds of the population paying them compliantly. There was a failure of political will in extending property tax to tens of thousands of homes builtsince 2013. There was political inability to address long-tail risks such as public service and social welfare pensions deficits; despite every year of delay increasing the pain of resolution. The political system suffers an effective “Stockholm syndrome” regarding its public services, unable to confront inefficiency, ineffectiveness, or demand value for money. The gap between public and private sector pay is on the increase.

Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said 20 March 2024 he was stepping down as the leader of the governing Fine Gael party. In the surprise announcement, Varadkar said he would also relinquish his role as prime minister as soon as a successor is chosen. “I am resigning the presidency and leadership of Fine Gael and will resign as taoiseach [prime minister] as soon as my successor is able to take up that office,” Varadkar told reporters in Dublin. He said he had asked for a new leader of the party to be chosen on April 6, allowing a new prime minister to be elected after parliament’s Easter break.

Varadkar, 45, said it was the right time for him to step aside. “My reasons for stepping down now are personal and political, but mainly political,” he said without elaborating. “I have nothing else lined up I have nothing in mind. I have no definite personal or political plans,” he added. Varadkar’s decision to step down as prime minister of Ireland was so surprising that, according to reports, not even colleagues from his centre-right party, Fine Gael, saw it coming.

Varadkar had two spells as prime minister – between 2017 and 2020, and again since December 2022 as part of a job-share with Micheal Martin, head of coalition partner Fianna Fail. When first elected as prime minister, Varadkar was the youngest person to hold the office, and the first gay prime minister of Ireland, a once-staunchly Catholic country. Varadkar, whose mother is Irish and father is Indian, was also Ireland’s first biracial prime minister.

He played a leading role in campaigns to legalise same-sex marriage, approved in a 2015 referendum, and to repeal a ban on abortion, which passed in a vote in 2018. In his resignation statement, Varadkar said, “I’m proud that we have made the country a more equal and more modern place.” Varadkar has faced growing discontent within Fine Gael. Ten of the party’s lawmakers, almost a third of the total, have announced they will not run for re-election.

Earlier this month, voters rejected the government’s position in referendums on two constitutional amendments. Changes backed by Varadkar that would have broadened the definition of family and removed language about a woman’s role in the home were resoundingly defeated. The result sparked criticism that the pro-change campaign had been lacklustre and confusing. Varadkar recently returned from Washington, where he met President Joe Biden and other political leaders as part of the Irish prime minister’s traditional St Patrick’s Day visit to the United States.

Simon Harris became Ireland’s youngest prime minister after he was appointed as the new leader of the governing Fine Gael party. The 37-year-old said it was the “absolute honour of my life” to be appointed party leader, replacing Leo Varadkar, who resigned unexpectedly. Harris would be voted in as the Republic of Ireland’s youngest-ever prime minister – known as the taoiseach – when the country’s parliament or Oireachtas next sits on April 9 due to support from Fine Gael’s coalition partners. Harris insisted that Fine Gael “stands for law and order” and told members he wanted to “take our flag back” from nationalists, to loud cheers. His keen social media presence led one opponent in parliament to dub Harris the "TikTok taoiseach" (Irish for prime minister).

The next election must be called by early 2025. In the last three years, polls put Sinn Fein, a left-wing party that backs unification with Northern Ireland, a British province, as the preferred choice to lead the next government. A Business Post/Red C poll conducted before Varadkar’s departure as taoiseach put Sinn Fein’s lead over Fine Gael at six percentage points, while an Irish Independent/Ireland Thinks survey showed a five-point edge.