Irish Prime Minister to Call General Election This Week

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Facts

  • Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris announced on Tuesday that he will dissolve the Dáil, or Irish parliament, later this week and call a snap general election.[1][2]
  • Harris, who leads the ruling Fine Gael Party, will reportedly ask the president to dissolve the parliament on Thursday, with the election expected on Nov. 29.[2][3]
  • Harris said that he expects the government to pass a finance bill that would implement budget changes before parliament is dissolved, adding that two other pieces of legislation, including an appropriations bill, will also need to be passed.[3]
  • In response to safety concerns following an assault on Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman, Harris said elections will not be hindered. Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin — of the fellow center-right Fianna Fáil Party — also noted that most of his recent interactions with the populace had been "courteous."[4][5]
  • Harris' move comes after he took over from Leo Varadkar as party leader six months ago. While the five-year government term doesn't end until March 2025, Harris had previously suggested calling an early election.[5]
  • While the left-wing Irish nationalist party Sinn Féin has gained popularity among young voters, a recent poll from the Sunday Independent placed its approval rating at 18%, trailing behind Fianna Fáil (20%) and Fine Gael (26%).[4][5]

Sources: [1]The Guardian, [2]Gript, [3]Irish Examiner, [4]The Irish Times and [5]The New York Times

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Independent. While this decision might make electoral sense, Harris should be using his party's popularity to pass legislation. The Irish people care about housing, health care, and supporting Palestine, not preparing for snap election campaigns. This might result in the exact opposite of the outcome the prime minister is hoping for.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Gript. Despite a brief boost in polls, Simon Harris and Fine Gael face more skepticism than they'd like to admit. Fine Gael’s 13-year tenure, eight of which saw Harris in government, has seen housing, healthcare, justice, and immigration issues worsen. As roughly half of the party's members of parliament aren't seeking reelection, it appears the Fine Gael regime may finally be coming to an end.