Left Irish-nationalist Sinn Féin gets the most votes in Ireland

It is an unprecedented landslide in Irish politics. Republican-nationalist and left-progressive party Sinn Féin won the most votes last weekend, doubling the number of previous elections.

A complicated electoral system makes them the second party in the Daíl, the Irish parliament, in seat. A vote was taken in Ireland on Saturday, but because of that system, the result of the elections is now almost final, with the exception of a few seats.

The center-right party Fianna Fáil is expected to become the largest party, the current governing party Fine Gael appears to be third.

Sinn Féin is controversial because the party was closely associated with the IRA terrorist movement and sought violence by unification of Ireland and Northern Ireland and still wants to merge Northern Ireland into a united Ireland.

Lose for the middle

Over the past century, Ireland has always been ruled alternately by the two center-right parties Fianna Fáil (FF) and Fine Gael (FG). Both parties said during the campaign that they did not want to rule with Sinn Féin (SF), but had to accept substantial losses in these elections.

“This election is a very clear message to the political establishment,” said Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of the nationalist but pro-European and pro-migration party after the result. “Their days of dominance are over.” She demands a place at the negotiating table.

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