Ireland Elections: Vote Counting Begins with Three-Way Race as Exit Polls Show Close Results

Ireland’s general elections are in a deadlock as Sinn Fein, a left-wing nationalist party, appears to have a slight lead over the two centre-right parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, according to an exit poll. The counting of votes began on Saturday, with a final result expected to take days due to the proportional representation system. If Sinn Fein’s lead holds, they could potentially unseat the long-dominant Fine Gael and Fianna Fail alliance, which would need to form a coalition with smaller parties to stay in power. The election campaign was marked by issues such as housing, cost-of-living, and immigration, with both centre-right parties emphasizing stability and their pro-business and pro-EU positions. The current Taoiseach, Simon Harris of Fine Gael, called for the election but faced criticism after a controversial campaign incident. The country’s economic model, heavily reliant on foreign investment and corporate tax returns from US firms, faces threats from potential tariffs and tax changes under President-elect Donald Trump. Sinn Fein, despite its past association with the IRA, has positioned itself as the only alternative to the traditional parties, focusing its campaign on housing policy. If Sinn Fein does emerge as the winner, it could signal a major shift in Irish politics away from the longstanding dominance of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

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