[lbo-talk] First results announced in Irish general election

[Wendy Lyon]

On 27 February 2011 03:34, Dissenting Wren <dissentingwren at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi Wendy - I'm trying to figure out these results without much background
> knowledge to provide context. Looking at the results, it certainly wasn't a
> breakthrough for the left (2.2%). But it also looks like a severe dent in the
> Fine Gael - Fianna Fail duopoly (the latter placing third in votes and fourh in
> seats).  But disgust with these two didn't seem to go to the left but to Sinn
> Fein (9.9%), Labour (19.4%), and assorted Independents (12.3%).

I'm using a broader definition of "left" than you. I think context is
important here. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Labour, SF and
some of the independents' general left-ness, objectively they are
lefter than FF or FG and I think the fact that so much of the "anyone
but Fianna Fáil" vote went to them rather than to FG or the right-wing
independents should be considered a step forward for the left - even
if only a marginal one. Also, it's very clear that a lot of the
support for those candidates who you don't consider left came from
people who *do* consider them left, and voted for them (or transferred
to them) for that reason.

BTW, these pages are interesting:
http://www.politicalcompass.org/ireland2011
http://www.politicalcompass.org/ireland

The fact that Labour's best ever result has gone hand-in-hand with a
rightward move is, I acknowledge, better evidence for your argument
than mine. But I don't believe most of those who voted for them for
the first time did so for that reason.