Irish prime minister concedes defeat in election

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: AFP

Dublin (AFP) - Irish prime minister Enda Kenny on Saturday conceded defeat, as early indications from the election showed support for both his Fine Gael party and its junior coalition partner had slumped in the face of anger over austerity.

"Clearly the government of Fine Gael and Labour are not going to be returned to office and obviously one has to wait now until all the counts are in right across the country to see what the options that must be considered are," Kenny told RTE television.

Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/irish-prime-minister-concedes-defeat-election-214854650.html;_ylt=AwrBT4PtHNJWGmYAbwZXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--

[EdwardBernays]

1. good

The Irish are FINALLY breaking out of their 2-3 party habits for good I think... in my constituency we elected 5 people from 5 different parties, including a "European United Left–Nordic Green Left" candidate and a completely Independent candidate (no party affiliation). The largest group elected in Dublin were independents and small party candidates... Ireland is becoming less conservative with every election... it will probably legalise marijuana in the next year or so, and has capped how much a landlord can increase rents.

All of this is good for the majority of people.

[mazzarro]

2. K & R -- n/t

[CountAllVotes]

3. The best thing going in Ireland these days is

[Zorra]

5. Sinn Fein!!! Woohoo!!!

Gerry Adams rules out Sinn Fein coalition with main parties
Sinn Fein will not help either of the two main parties form a coalition government.

"We aren't going to go in there (to government) and betray our electorate and betray the other people who need a progressive government," he said.

"We are not going to go in and prop up a regressive and negative old conservative government, whatever the particular party political complexion."

Mr Adams's rejection of what would be a left-right coalition maintains the position his party adopted during the lacklustre election campaign.

With support for establishment parties plunging to a near record low, prospects for a new coalition government are in deep disarray and weeks of protracted negotiations are on the cards.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/gerry-adams-rules-out-sinn-fein-coalition-with-main-parties-34493762.html

[CountAllVotes]

6. Some major celebrating going on across the pond!!

[midnight]

9. So the people of Irelandbelieve it is possible for something other than austerity. Good for them.

[Eugene]

4. Irish election: Enda Kenny plans to form government despite losing voters

Source: The Guardian

Irish election: Enda Kenny plans to form government despite losing voters

Henry McDonald
Sunday 28 February 2016 00.08 GMT

Battered by unexpected losses in the Irish general election, Enda Kenny has insisted that it is his duty to try to form and head another government.

With his Fine Gael party expected to lose close to 30 seats, the taoiseach said on Saturday night that he still has the responsibility “to provide the country with a stable government in the future and I will consider that very carefully over the next 36 hours”.

Fine Gael came into the general election with 73 seats and, with the Irish Labour party, had commanded the biggest majority in Irish political history. Kenny said he would not step down as party leader despite presiding over the huge drop in support from this historic high.

He accepted that the government’s losses meant there was no chance of the coalition being returned to power. “The option of a majority government is gone, the option of a Fine Gael/Labour government is gone … so I need to know the results of all the parties before I decide what is the best thing to do given my duty and responsibility as taoiseach and head of government,” he said.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/28/irish-election-enda-kenny-plans-to-form-government-despite-losing-voters

[noretreatnosurrender]

7. Standing Up Against Establishment Politics

Here's another article on this subject.

"There's total disillusionment with party politics. The independents and the smaller parties seem to be almost like the last hope for the country," said John McKeever, a voter in Dublin. "It's not a recovery for a good 30-40 percent of the country. It's a rich man's recovery."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ireland-voters-oust-ruling-coalition-in-rejection-of-austerity_us_56d24099e4b0bf0dab32673b

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Kenny performs massive U-turn as he opens door to Fianna Fáil

Prior to the election, he ­categorically ruled out Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin.

But just before 7pm ­yesterday, Mr Kenny said Fine Gael will engage "fully and inclusively" with other parties, groups and Independents in order to form a government. "Despite the disappointing outcome of the election, which did not return the outgoing Fine Gael-Labour government, Fine Gael will be the largest group in the new Dáil and we are determined to play our part in providing the Irish people with a government committed to working on their behalf," Mr Kenny said.
...
But the party was in complete chaos last night as a spokesman for the Taoiseach contradicted the statement, which had been released earlier through the Fine Gael press office. "I can clarify that the statement does not include Sinn Féin," the spokesman said.
But in a further humiliation for Mr Kenny, Sinn Féin last night dismissed the prospect of entering government with Fine Gael. "It would be a breach of the mandate we've been given to go in as a junior partner to Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil. We said we would keep the promises we make and we meant it," a spokesman said.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2016/kenny-performs-massive-uturn-as-he-opens-door-to-fianna-fil-34503717.html