The focus is on tikok-cariseach: Ireland goes to the election
The focus is on tikok-cariseach: Ireland goes to the election
The youngest Prime Minister of Ireland, Simon Harris, may have believed that his victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Ireland is almost certain. Harris, which is referred to as the "Tikok-Taiseach", has used the last seven months in office to assure the young population of Ireland that he understands their frustrations with regard to central issues, such as the stubborn housing crisis-a problem that is not only influenced by the high living costs.
political turbulence and scandalous incidents
After a phase of confidence in which his political party, Fine Gael, cuts off well in the surveys, caused a viral video of the past week. The clip showed how Harris was going away from the visibly applied nurse Charlotte Fallon, who tried to submit questions at the campaign court. Despite a public apology and the efforts to contact Fallon again, journalist Jennifer Bray from Irish Times said that this incident was the "relevant moment of the 2024 election campaign". Leading members of Harris ’party are concerned that" undecided voters could see the video and question their sincerity as a leader, "added Bray.
The challenges for Fine Gael
The center-right party Fine Gael was already busy securing its 14-year reign before this incident, which could only be maintained in the last elections by complex coalition arrangements. If the party is successful in the vote on Friday, according to David Farrell, Professor of Political Science at the University of College Dublin, she could set a new "record in Irish politics".the choice and folk surveys
On Friday, Ireland will choose 174 members of the parliament (TDS) according to the system of the proportion of proportions with a single voice. A , which was published on Monday by the Irish Times resulted in a decline in support for the party of the Taoiseach by 6 points, just five days before the elections. The three main parties, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, are 21%, 19%and 20%. Smaller parties and independent make up the remaining 40%.
The political landscape of Ireland
Since the foundation of the Irish Republic, the government has been led by the two centric parties, Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, whereby a historical coalition was formed with the Green Party in 2020. Created from the two sides that fought against each other in the Irish civil war from 1922 to 1923, the two parties share many political similarities today and have taken over a largely centrical position over the years.
While Fine Gael has followed a more economic policy policy, Fianna Fáil tends to be traditionally more conservative, even if both parties are adaptable. "This is an unusual feature, because in most other European democracies the centric parties are very weak," explains Farrell.
election campaign and voter mobilization
Before the elections on Friday, Mike Miley, Head of Public Relations from the strategy consulting firm Teneo in Ireland and former press spokesman for Fine Gael, expressed that the coalition options are "big and diverse". He emphasized that "with the exception of a government led by Sinn Féin", each coalition formation had to include two of the three main parties. The central question remains which parties will be willing to enter into a partnership.
The election campaign revealed a "great volatility among the Irish public," added Bray. "However, voters want to see long-term measures to cope with the housing and homeless crisis, but are unsure which party offers a viable way to change."
The role of social media in the election campaign
A central area in which Irish politicians fight for votes is the social media landscape. Simon Harris emphasized his influence on platforms such as Tikkok and Instagram. However, experts in social media have pointed out that some of his political opponents, such as the 35-year-old chairman of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, and Sinn Féin chairman Mary Lou McDonald, have significantly higher engagement rates.
"Cairns has the kind of numbers that every brand or content manufacturer would demand in terms of commitment to commitment," said Donagh Humphreys, head of social and digital innovation at the youth marketing agency Thinkhouse.
The future of Ireland in social policy change
The latest elections will be crucial for how Ireland will develop in the future. Younger voters were significantly involved in the progress of social changes that shaped the recent Irish history, such as the legalization of the and the cancellation of a abortion bits .
Farrell points out that every new government will inherit a different Ireland than in the past. "I think that the time for major social changes in Ireland, such as abortion, same-sex marriage and divorce is ”, he said to CNN.
There are also concerns about the potential economic shock that a possibly upcoming presidency of Donald Trump could trigger in the United States. Trump has not hidden his plans, US companies that are located abroad, which could mean a setback for the Irish economy that has long attracted US technology companies through its competitive corporation tax rate.
Bray said that the election in 2024 was characterized by “fears among voters regarding the upcoming developments and increasing questions about the long -term vision for the country.