another chill thread to anticipate the Irish Presidential Election, on October 24th.
>Irish President?The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the ceremonial head of state of Ireland. While their power is mostly restricted to safeguarding the Irish Constitution, the election of a President can be a nod to the direction the nation's politics are going.>Who is President now?Michael D. Higgins, ex-Labour Party politician and popular poet. He most threw his weight behind progressive or cultural causes, as well as reconciliation with Britain-which soured in recent years since Brexit. >Who can be President?In *theory*, anyone. You need either1. 20 politicians to nominate you, from any party (or multiple)2. 4 district/city councils to nominate youIn essense, you need to have *some* organised local support; you can't just be somebody famous who wants to have a go. This why, for example, Conor McGregor isn't on the ballot-nobody nominated him.
>>518179852Any meaningful difference between these three?
So who's on the ballot?Well, there are only two choices this time-which is bizarre, given that there are often 5 or more. Irish politics has been slowly galvanising over the past several years, into 2 factions;>Establishment Government2 Parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, have governed Ireland since it was founded. They used to be fierce rivals, but teamed up in the the 2010s when it was realised neither of them could ever win enough to get a majority; the rivalry ended and they have propped each other up ever since.>The LeftThe rest of Irish politics is dominated by a blob of left wing parties-at the head of which is Sinn Féin (used to be the IRA). The goal of Sinn Féin is to be the leader of a "left wing government", as they-in alliance with others and independents-could potentially form a majority.As a result, there are now only two candidates:>Heather HumphreysFine Gael's choice; not much notable, but a loosely conservative "safe pair of hands.">Catherine ConnollyThe lefty choice; she is backed by the entire blob of left wing politics, with many nodding to this alliance being a precursor to a planned electoral campaign for this much debated "left government."
The main update today is that Jim Gavin, Fianna Fáil's choice has dropped out.It came to light that he stole several thousand euros from a tenant of his; landlords are becoming targets of increasing grassroots scrutiny in Ireland, as they (and property developers) are being blamed for the housing shortage and many other issues.Him dropping out gives Humphreys a path to the Presidency-but it's anyone's game, as many Fianna Fáil voters would prefer not to align with Fine Gael.>>518179884See >>518179889, the election is essentially one of Ireland's left vs Ireland's establishment.There WAS another candidate-representing Aontú and the other "right wing/catholic christian" side of politics. Her name is Maria Steen, but she and her people forgot to show up to nomination meetings and thus missed their chance. Steen is part of the Iona Institute, basically a lobby for right-wing christian social values.
>>518179884For you or other anons curious about the stark difference between Connolly and Humphreys, here are some tidbits.Humphreys is, in essence, a bog standard veteran politician of Fine Gael. Nothing too notable or quoteable, except a sketchy report on the disabled years ago.Catherine Connolly;>Hired Ursula Ní Shionnain, an Irish Republican imprisoned for gun charges in 2014>Openly states that the UK, USA, and Israel can't be trusted>Against anti-immigration protests, openly states she hopes to "dispel anti immigration myths" as president>Openly calls for a United Ireland>Supported the repeal of the abortion ban>Opposes expansions to Ireland's militaryShe is the exact opposite of what Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael support, and will therefore be someone they do not want to see in office.
