Ireland election results: How the country voted as majority of seats declared
Results suggest that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s coalition is set to continue
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Your support makes all the difference.Voters across Ireland cast their ballots in the country’s general election on 29 November. First preference vote shares indicated that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are set to continue their coalition as support for Sinn Féin declines.
Counting has take place over two days, with over 90 per cent of seats decided by Monday morning. The results suggest that the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael coalition will continue comfortably, as the two parties secure a combined 79 seats.
Micheal Martin, Fianna Fáil leader and Ireland‘s deputy premier, said: “We’ll let the dust settle and savour the moment. We’ll then be in a position over the next couple of days to assess the landscape, devise our strategies.”
The parties joined in a coalition for the first time after the 2020 election result. Their arrangement meant that the position of Irish prime minister, the taoiseach, swapped halfway through the term.
Mr Martin held the role until December 2022, when Leo Varadkar took over. Current Fine Gael leader Simon Harris then succeeded Mr Vardakar in March 2024 after the veteran Irish politician stood down.
One of Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael has been in power in Ireland since the foundation of the state more than 100 years ago. But the two parties’ combined vote share has declined for a fourth consective general election to reach a record low.
But the results will also be dissapointing for main opposition party Sinn Féin. After achieving its highest vote share since 1922 in 2020, the party’s support has dipped significantly.
It marks the first fall in support for Sinn Féin in 35 years, and the biggest drop in support for any party at this election.
Largely filling the space left by these three largest parties are smaller parties and independent candidates, taking 16 per cent of the first preference vote share this year.
However, the Greens have not followed suit, instead seeing their vote share drop 4.1 per cent and expecting to lose most of their 12 seats. Some have suggested this is due to voters disappointed in the party supporting the somewhat unpopular government over the last four years.
Voter turnout also hit a record low this year at 59.7 per cent – meaning two in five did not head to the polls.
The collective challenge for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will be securing the 88 seats needed to govern without needing the support of other parties or independents. As of Monday morning, the two parties had won 67.
Check The Independent’s coverage for the final results when they are announced.
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