Vote counting for Ireland’s national election continued on Sunday (Dec. 1) morning. An exit poll suggested a very close contest among the country’s three biggest political parties.
Party leaders re-elected
The leaders of Ireland’s three main political parties have all been re-elected to the Dáil (Irish parliament). So far, 86 of the 174 Dáil seats have been filled.
First-preference vote shares
The first counts from all 43 constituencies show the following percentage shares of first-preference votes:
Voter turnout for the election was 59.7%.
Support split across parties and independents
The exit poll revealed that support is spread across the three major parties, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin, as well as smaller parties and independent candidates. Fine Gael was the first choice for 21% of voters, Fianna Fáil received 19.5%, and Sinn Féin got 21.1% support.
The poll, conducted by Ipsos B&A, surveyed 5,018 voters across Ireland. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.
Ireland’s proportional representation voting system
Ireland uses a proportional representation voting system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference. Each of the 43 constituencies elects several lawmakers. This complex system means it may take time before all results are finalised.
The three-week campaign focused on the cost of living, particularly Ireland’s severe housing crisis. Immigration was another key topic, which has become a sensitive issue in the country of 5.4 million people, known historically for emigration.
The outgoing government was formed by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, two parties that have dominated Irish politics for almost 100 years. Despite their similar policies, they have a long history of rivalry, dating back to opposite sides of the Irish civil war in the 1920s. After the 2020 election ended in a near tie, the two parties joined forces in a coalition government.
(With inputs from agencies)