Stability over change
After a three-week campaign, it seems like Ireland chose stability over change in its snap election. The centre – the two mainstream parties of the coalition government, Fine Gael (FG) and Fianna Fáil (FF) – held its ground, and even gained seats in last Friday's snap election. It confirms that Ireland is resisting a global trend where parties used to government lose to those who have never been in power, most often openly far-right. In fact, Irish society has even been pushing back against that trend. In 2022, Sinn Féin, the left-wing nationalist party in opposition, was expected to win the next election. Today, it ties with FF and FG, failing to grow its Dáil (Irish Parliament) presence.
With never-ending concerns about the housing, healthcare, and cost of living crises, what convinced Irish people to stick with the current coalition? Probably the economy: in October, inflation was at a three-year low at 0.1%, while the GDP is expected to grow by 4% in 2025. Ireland's budget surplus also allowed the government to announce measures aimed at easing households' financial pressure.