Vote counting is currently underway in Ireland following a closely contested national election, as indicated by an exit poll that suggests a tight race among the country's three major political parties. Ballot boxes were opened at 9 a.m. at count centers nationwide, marking the beginning of a potentially lengthy process of tallying the results. If the exit poll findings hold true, this could be followed by days or even weeks of negotiations to form a coalition government.
The exit poll revealed that voter support is divided among the three prominent parties - Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, and Sinn Fein - along with various smaller parties and independent candidates spanning the political spectrum. Fine Gael garnered 21% of the vote, Fianna Fail secured 19.5%, and Sinn Fein stood at 21.1% according to the poll conducted by Ipsos B&A among 5,018 voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.
The election system in Ireland employs a complex proportional representation method where each of the 43 constituencies elects multiple lawmakers, and voters rank candidates by preference. Consequently, the full results may take some time to be finalized.
The outgoing government was a coalition between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, traditional rivals with similar policies. Sinn Fein, a left-of-center opposition party, made significant gains in the 2020 election but was excluded from government due to ideological differences and historical associations. Despite the possibility of Sinn Fein emerging as the largest party in the Dail, forming a government might prove challenging without sufficient coalition partners.
The election campaign was dominated by issues such as the cost of living, particularly Ireland's housing crisis, and immigration. The outcome of the election will indicate whether Ireland follows the global trend of incumbent governments facing voter discontent amid pandemic challenges and economic pressures.
Analysts had predicted another Fine Gael-Fianna Fail coalition as the most likely scenario, but smaller parties or independents may be required to secure a majority in the 174-seat Dail. The days ahead will reveal the political landscape as negotiations unfold to establish a stable government capable of addressing the country's pressing issues.
