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List of political parties in the Republic of Ireland |
| Ireland |
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There are a number of political parties in the Republic of Ireland, and coalition governments are common. The state is unusual as a developed nation in that politics is not primarily characterised by the left-right political divide. This is because the two largest political parties Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do not identify themselves first and foremost as either centre-right or centre-left parties. Rather, both parties arose from the great split that occurred in Irish politics at the time of the 1922–1923 Civil War, that followed the foundation of the state. Both descended from factions of the original Sinn Féin party: Fine Gael from the faction that supported the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty and Fianna Fáil from the anti-Treaty faction. This enduring characteristic of the Irish party system is sometimes pejoratively referred to as "Civil War politics".
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Fianna Fáil is Ireland's largest and most successful political party, and is republican in outlook. It was founded in 1926 as a radical anti-Treaty party, drawing support from small farmers and urban workers but has since become a party of the establishment. It was first elected to power in 1932 on a constitutional republican platform, promising to destroy constitutional links with Britain and reduce poverty by creating employment. It oversaw much of the industrial development of the Republic and has consequently drawn support from all social classes, making it a classic populist party. Generally Fianna Fáil has adopted left-leaning positions on economic matters, especially tending towards fiscal expansion, while remaining populist on social issues.
The economically liberal Progressive Democrats (PD), with whom Fianna Fáil (FF) have entered three coalitions, have had an impact on the economic policy of Fianna Fáil governments, drawing it more towards the centre-right in recent years. The resulting combination of PD-inspired tax cuts and FF-driven spending increases has only been made possible by unusually high economic growth. Economists have warned that this policy combination runs the risk of overheating the economy.
Bertie Ahern was the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) since 1997, but he stepped down on 6 May 2008. His long-standing popularity is often attributed to his 'man of the people' persona and his considerable negotiating skill, having negotiated numerous social partnership contracts, the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, and an agreement among EU heads of government on the European Constitution. He was succeeded by Brian Cowen
In September 2007, Fianna Fáil announced that they would organise politically in the north. It is thought this may lead to a merger with the north's Social Democratic and Labour Party, although it has been signalled by both parties that this may now be dead in the water or at least postponed until the economic climate becomes less precarious.
As of April 2008, Fianna Fáil is represented by 78 TDs, 28 Senators, 4 MEPs, and 301 councillors nationally.
Fine Gael is the second largest party in Ireland, was formed by a merger of the pro-Treaty Cumann na nGaedhael, the National Guard (a quasi-fascist group popularly called 'The Blueshirts') and the small National Centre Party in 1933. While historically Fine Gael has often been viewed as a centre-right party, supported by large farmers and businessmen, this characterisation is perhaps overly simplistic. For a period in the 1960s, for example, with the publication of the famous Just Society document, Fine Gael identified with the values of social democracy. Furthermore, during the 1980s, Fine Gael leader Garret Fitzgerald advocated the liberal agenda. It is now a member of the conservative, Christian Democratic, European People's Party. Historically Fine Gael has tended to support fiscal restraint and law and order domestically while adopting a less stridently nationalist position on Northern Ireland than Fianna Fáil. Currently many party members favour membership of NATO while MEP for Dublin Gay Mitchell has spoken out in favour of rejoining the Commonwealth.citation needed Fine Gael have been in government six times, in each case in coalition with the Labour Party, and in three of those cases with other parties as well.
As of June 2007, Fine Gael is represented by 51 TDs, 15 Senators, 5 MEPs and 290 councillors nationally.
The left wing and social democratic side of the Republic's politics is largely represented by the Labour Party which is the state's third largest political party and has participated in coalition governments with each of the two largest parties over the years. Hoping to create a stronger left-wing force, the Labour Party merged with the smaller Democratic Left group in 1999 but this has not had as much impact as was hoped. The party's previous leader, Pat Rabbitte (a former Democratic left member), had expressed a strong preference for coalition with Fine Gael over Fianna Fáil.
The situation has changed owing to the relatively inconclusive result of the 2007 General Election. The current leader, Eamon Gilmore (also a former Democratic left member) has expressed his desire to build the Labour Party nationally to become the size of a main opposition party in locally and in Seanad and Dáil seats rather than "the half size party electorally compared to the other 2 main parties Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael" (Referring to being the half of the 2 and a half main Irish political parties). He has expressed a desire for an independent election platform rather than preference for coalition with Fine Gael which was the case under the previous leader Pat Rabbitte.
As of June 2007, the Labour Party is represented by 20 TDs, 5 Senators, 1 MEP, and over 100 councillors nationally. It is the largest party on both Dublin and Galway city councils.
The Green Party was established in 1981 and is allied to the European Green Party. It won its first seat in the Dáil in 1989, and won 6 seats and just under 4% of the national vote in the 2002 elections. The party advocates ecologically sound and socially liberal policies. In 1994 and again in 1999, 2 of Ireland's 15 MEP's were from the Green party, but both seats were lost in 2004. The Green Party is strongest in Dublin, where 5 of its current 6 TD's are based, and has the 3rd highest number of seats of all parties in Dublin. Ireland's system of proportional representation, the Single Transferable Vote, works well for the Green Party, as they have proven to be very attractive for transfers from all other parties.
The Green Party of Northern Ireland voted in 2005 to become a region of the Irish Green Party making it the second party to be organised on an all-Ireland basis. It has Northern Ireland members on the Irish Green Party national executive.
As of June 2007, the Green Party is represented by 6 TDs and 2 Senators and also 1 Northern Ireland assembly member in the 2007 elections and has entered into coalition government with Fianna Fail in the Republic of Ireland.
The largest of the modern-day Sinn Féin parties has seats in the parliaments of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Since supporting the Peace Process Sinn Féin has seen a dramatic increase in support in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland. It has emerged as the second largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly with 28 seats out of 108 and the fifth largest in the Republic of Ireland with 4 seats in the Dáil in the Irish general election, 2007). Sinn Féin also holds two seats in the European Parliament with one for the Republic (Dublin) and one for Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin's platform is primarily focused on achieving the reunification of Ireland and a large scale expansion of Ireland's social services (such as adopting a universal health care system and creating subsidised housing). Their political ideology mainly revolves around democratic socialism, Irish Republicanism, and Irish Nationalism.
In Northern Ireland's devolved government (which is overseen, from a distance, jointly by the British Government and the government of the Republic of Ireland), Sinn Féin's Martin McGuiness is Deputy First Minister, a position of equal standing and powers to that of First Minister, previously held by Ian Paisley, founder and leader of the anti-republican Democratic Unionist Party, and now held by Peter Robinson. Sinn Féin's two Members of the European Parliament belong to the European United Left–Nordic Green Left alliance which is a grouping of democratic socialist, communist and environmentalist parties within the European Parliament.
As of July 2007, Sinn Féin is represented by 28 MLAs, 4 TDs, 1 Senator, 2 MEPs and 175 councillors (118 in the North and 57 in the South).
The Progressive Democrats a liberal party, were founded in 1985 when Desmond O'Malley and others in Fianna Fáil left, partially because of the opposition of Fianna Fáil to liberalise contraception and Fianna Fáil's opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985. The Progressive Democrats have a liberal approach to economic and social policy and a moderate approach to Northern Ireland. It adopts liberal positions on both economic issues and social or moral matters. It is a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR), which is a constituent part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). The Progressive Democrats' economic policies are based on liberal economics. They support a free enterprise, low tax and pro-competition policy base. They have remained relatively small, but have been in three governments: 1989–1992, 1997–2002 and since 2002, in all cases in coalition with Fianna Fáil. In the 1987 election, the first contested by the Progressive Democrats, the party won 11.9% of the vote, making it the 3rd largest party, but by 2007, they were on just 2.7% of the vote. Mary Harney led the party from 1993 to 2006, becoming the first female TD to lead an Irish political party, and in 1997 become the first female Tánaiste in the history of the State. Michael McDowell, often described as the party's intellectual powerhouse led the party (and served as Tánaiste in the 29th Dáil until its dissolution) until 25 May 2007 when after losing his seat in the 2007 general election he resigned from the leadership. Mary Harney has resumed as party leader.
In the current Oireachtas, established following the 2007 general election, the Progressive Democrats are represented by 2 TDs and 2 Senators. Its national support base rests on an average of 3%, largely based in the eastern urban centres.
In September 2008, the party's 2 TDs and 2 Senators announced that they felt the Progressive Democrats were no longer a viable political party. On the 8 November 2008 the party voted against a motion calling for the party to continue with 201 votes against to 161 for.1 The PD's will now wind up as a political party. Mary Harney's stated she intends to remain as an independent member of the Dáil.
The Socialist Party is a Marxist political party in the Trotskyist tradition active in Ireland, north and south. The Socialist Party was previously named the Militant Tendency of the Labour Party but was expelled in the late 1980s.Joe Higgins was its sole member of Dáil Éireann representing Dublin West between 1997 and 2007. Higgins won over 5% of the vote in Dublin in the 2004 European election and was a prominent opposition spokesman in the Dáil. The Socialist Party currently have four County Councillors: Mick Murphy (South Dublin Council), Clare Daly and Ruth Coppinger (Fingal Council) and Mick Barry (Cork City). It is affiliated to the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI).
As well as a number of parties, Dáil Éireann (the lower house of parliament) is also often host to independent TDs (deputies) who play an important role in Irish politics and are sometimes called upon to prop up minority governments or governments with slim majorities. They are usually elected on left-wing platforms or on local issues alone.
As of June 2007, independents comprise 5 TDs and 7 senators nationally.
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