Irish Coalition Parties Poised to Overwhelm Sinn Fein in Local Elections

### Ireland’s Coalition Parties Set to Outperform Sinn Fein in Local Elections, Shaking National Ambitions

In a surprising turn of events, Ireland’s two main coalition parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, are on track to significantly outperform Sinn Fein in the local council elections held on Friday. This development poses a major setback to Sinn Fein’s aspirations for a victory in the upcoming national elections, anticipated by March.

Sinn Fein, historically linked to the Irish Republican Army, has seen its once commanding lead in the polls dwindle in recent months. The shift in voter priorities from affordable housing, an issue where Sinn Fein had held dominance, to immigration has notably impacted the party’s standing.

With over 2,100 candidates competing for 949 seats across 31 local councils, preliminary results from Saturday’s count reveal both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail capturing approximately 24% of the vote each, leaving Sinn Fein trailing at 11%. This early outcome signals a potential reevaluation of Sinn Fein’s strategy and its public appeal.

David Cullinane, a senior Sinn Fein lawmaker, acknowledged the disappointing results on Newstalk radio, emphasizing the need for the party to “regroup and listen to what the electorate has said.”

Despite the setback, Sinn Fein is expected to improve on its 9.5% share from the 2019 local polls. However, this performance falls short of the 25% achieved in the 2020 general election, the highest for any single party. The results underscore the challenge Sinn Fein faces in disrupting the governing coalition’s plans to exclude it from power after the next national election.

The local election outcomes could potentially influence Prime Minister Simon Harris to call for an early national election, capitalizing on Sinn Fein’s current struggles. However, government ministers have indicated intentions to complete their full term.

The results also cast doubt on Sinn Fein’s ambition to push for a referendum on unifying with Northern Ireland, where it is already a leading party. Political analysts suggest that the party will need to undergo significant introspection to position itself as a credible alternative government leader.

As the counting continues into Sunday, including the first results for the European Parliament elections, Sinn Fein faces a critical moment of reflection on its future strategy and message to the Irish electorate.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)