International News Ireland starting to crumble?

1) It is awesome that Ireland's voters have realised that a two party system is idiotic, and that it's appropriate to vote for a wider range of parties that allows your vote a little more specificity. Oh for British and American voters to do the same.......

2) Sinn Fein ran on a platform of affordable housing, worker rights, reduction in the pension age, cheaper childcare, more police and (of course) Irish unification. They are "critical but supportive" of the EU. So I'm not quite sure why Essexyellows is putting that one in the win column for his side?!?
So did you see on the TV news the Sinn Fein supporters at the election counts singing IRA songs - I think I would describe that as troubling rather than awesome.
And let's be clear - Sinn Fein have been hugely anti Europe for years, long before UKIP even existed. Their scepticism only became 'critical but supportive' after Brexit. Of course they will be supportive of the EU whilst negotiations with the UK over Brexit are ongoing, their anti-Britishness trumps everything. So let's not pretend this is a good result for the EU anymore than it is for the UK. Ireland now probably faces months of stalemate whilst they try to cobble together a weak coalition of 3 or 4 parties and if SF are involved as is likely, will be very Euro-sceptic.
 
So did you see on the TV news the Sinn Fein supporters at the election counts singing IRA songs - I think I would describe that as troubling rather than awesome.
And let's be clear - Sinn Fein have been hugely anti Europe for years, long before UKIP even existed. Their scepticism only became 'critical but supportive' after Brexit. Of course they will be supportive of the EU whilst negotiations with the UK over Brexit are ongoing, their anti-Britishness trumps everything. So let's not pretend this is a good result for the EU anymore than it is for the UK. Ireland now probably faces months of stalemate whilst they try to cobble together a weak coalition of 3 or 4 parties and if SF are involved as is likely, will be very Euro-sceptic.

In September 2018, the Irish Freedom Party (also known as "Irexit Freedom to Prosper"), was formed to campaign for an Irish exit from the EU and to field candidates in the 2019 European Parliament election. Its two candidates were party leader Hermann Kelly, who received 2,441 first preference votes (0.67%) in the Dublin constituency, and chairperson Professor Delores Cahill, who polled with 1.47% of first preference votes in the South constituency.

Irexit isn't very popular at the ballot box...
 
In September 2018, the Irish Freedom Party (also known as "Irexit Freedom to Prosper"), was formed to campaign for an Irish exit from the EU and to field candidates in the 2019 European Parliament election. Its two candidates were party leader Hermann Kelly, who received 2,441 first preference votes (0.67%) in the Dublin constituency, and chairperson Professor Delores Cahill, who polled with 1.47% of first preference votes in the South constituency.

Irexit isn't very popular at the ballot box...
Sorry but what has 'Irexit' got to do with it?
I think you're missing the point I was making: Sinn Fein are not pro EU.
That's all!
 
1) It is awesome that Ireland's voters have realised that a two party system is idiotic, and that it's appropriate to vote for a wider range of parties that allows your vote a little more specificity. Oh for British and American voters to do the same.......

2) Sinn Fein ran on a platform of affordable housing, worker rights, reduction in the pension age, cheaper childcare, more police and (of course) Irish unification. They are "critical but supportive" of the EU. So I'm not quite sure why Essexyellows is putting that one in the win column for his side?!?

@tonyw first up I like the fact that a party has created a "shock" and broken the mould, it is a bonus that Mr Smug Varadker has copped a bloody nose.
When it comes to politic`s we should all know & understand that a single party will never exactly match an individual`s personal choice and we will vote for those that mostly match our views.
British voter`s had a wider range of parties to vote for when there was a large issue to deal with. That party took votes from the two dominant parties until one of the two stepped up to the plate and offered a solution, now we are (at last!) further down that road the necessity of the other party has greatly diminished/gone.
 
I would also say it was proven, in Ireland, that you can not be a "critical friend of the EU".
The electorate rejected the Treaty of Nice.................... wrong answer, vote again.....
 
I would also say it was proven, in Ireland, that you can not be a "critical friend of the EU".
The electorate rejected the Treaty of Nice.................... wrong answer, vote again.....
Democracy, EU style. Glad to be getting out of it.

And I agree with your point about the Tea Shop (old joke), talks a better games than he delivers and more divisive than his mouth says. Ireland will be fascinating watch for the next few weeks - feels like another vote if they can't sort themselves out.
 
@tonyw first up I like the fact that a party has created a "shock" and broken the mould, it is a bonus that Mr Smug Varadker has copped a bloody nose.
When it comes to politic`s we should all know & understand that a single party will never exactly match an individual`s personal choice and we will vote for those that mostly match our views.
British voter`s had a wider range of parties to vote for when there was a large issue to deal with. That party took votes from the two dominant parties until one of the two stepped up to the plate and offered a solution, now we are (at last!) further down that road the necessity of the other party has greatly diminished/gone.

I think we're largely in agreement on this.

I was just pointing out that most of Sinn Fein's stated policies are right out of the Jeremy Corbyn playbook, and therefore wouldn't seem to match the views you've stated on here repeatedly over the last several years. ?

But if you're simply celebrating the shocking victory of a party because it's good for democracy, even though that party is mostly diametrically opposed to your own world view, then......errrrr.......good on yer!
 
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