Irish coalition's junior partner faces election wipeout
Date
2/26/2016 9:19:46 AM
(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Final opinion polls in Ireland ahead of Friday’s general election suggest the country’s governing coalition is unlikely to be returned to office.
Prime Minister Enda Kenny’s Fine Gael party remains on track to become the largest group in parliament but a poll in The Irish Sun newspaper indicated he may have to find new coalition partners after Labour – his junior partner in the government – faces electoral wipe-out.
The Paddy Power/Red C poll projected a 30 percent share for Fine Gael against 20 percent for the centrist Fianna Fail and just seven percent for Labour. The nationalist Sinn Fein party polled at 15 percent.
Labour leader Joan Burton’s seat is among those at risk as the party is deserted by voters angry at the coalition’s tough austerity measures which were imposed by international creditors to rescue Ireland’s collapsing economy in 2011.
With the economy growing once again Kenny called on Irish voters not to endanger the recovery.
“I understand that people are hurting and people are angry as a result of everything they have had to endure since the crash” Kenny said in an interview in Thursday’s Irish Times.
“I urge people to make a hard-headed decision in favor of recovery and progress and elect the only government that has the credibility and the track record to keep the recovery going and bring it into every home.”
Pundits have predicted an inconclusive election result will leave Kenny with no choice but to seek a grand coalition with Fianna Fail the main opposition.
But its leader Micheal Martin appeared to rule out a deal.
“We’re not going into government with Fine Gael. We were very clear that we wanted to create this choice and it’s there” Martin told the Irish Independent on Thursday.
He added: “I don’t think they get it. They are interested in a core 20 percent of the electorate. They have tailored their election to their election manifesto to that 20 percent.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.