Taoiseach Simon Harris has announced that a general election will be held in Ireland on Friday, 29 November. The election was triggered after Harris requested a dissolution of the current Irish parliament, or Dáil. In his address in Dublin, Harris thanked his party colleagues in Fine Gael, as well as coalition partners Fianna Fáil and the Greens, despite disagreements on certain issues. He called for a safe and respectful campaign, urging all Irish citizens to exercise their right to vote. The country had been expecting an election announcement since October, as Ireland faces housing and cost-of-living crises which are likely to be major concerns for voters.
Simon Harris, who took over as head of Ireland’s coalition government in April, succeeded Leo Varadkar following his surprise resignation. Harris previously served as the higher education minister and was the only candidate to replace Varadkar as the head of Fine Gael. One of the key topics expected to come up in the upcoming election is the impact of Donald Trump’s recent re-election on the Irish economy, especially given the country’s reliance on US tech companies for employment. Despite having until March to call an election, Harris decided to appeal to the Irish public at the end of November due to the decline in popularity of opposition party Sinn Féin.
Sinn Féin’s decline in popularity has been attributed to their focus on a united Ireland, which has alienated some voters amidst a surge in anti-immigrant sentiment in the country. Many had speculated that Sinn Féin’s success in Northern Ireland and closeness to forming a government in the south could lead to a referendum on a united Ireland within the next five years. However, the party has struggled to regain support as they find themselves out of step with a significant portion of the electorate. An integral part of Sinn Féin’s identity has been their pursuit of a united Ireland, but as anti-immigrant sentiment grows, they have faced challenges in appealing to voters.
As campaigning for the general election begins in earnest, housing and cost-of-living crises are expected to be top concerns for voters. The election will be held on Friday, 29 November, after Harris’ request to dissolve the Dáil was approved by Ireland’s president. With speculation about the impact of Donald Trump’s re-election on the Irish economy and the decline in popularity of Sinn Féin, the upcoming election is set to be closely watched. Harris has urged all Irish citizens to use their voice and participate in the democratic process by voting on election day.
