Fianna Fail Selection of Local Candidates

Het-Field

It has been widely reported that Fianna Fail HQ have been selecting their candidates to run in the upcoming local elections. A committee with Mary Coughlan, Noel Dempsey, and Sean Dorgan is engaging in a process of vetting those who wish to go forward in the elections.

Of course, this means that the selection convention has been jettisoned, or at very least downgraded. As a result, the democratic voice of local members, for local representatives is being ignored.

It is contended that Fianna Fail need to operate more prudently in 2009, then they did in their disasterous 2004 showing. It is felt that too many cnadidate were put forward, which flooded ballot papers, and spilt the vote in countless areas. An example of this is articulated here http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2004T&cons=633.

However, I am interested to canvass opinion on whether people feel that

-This stratagy amounts to a lack of faith in the Grassroots
-A flagrant disregard for the democratic will
-A terrible arrogance amongst the suits cultivated over 12 years of unbroken power
-A smart move which will yield a relatively successful local election result

ejmaztec

Won't this lead to more Independent ex-FF candidates if the selection process back-fires?

Stark

Isn't that just the normal way that candidates are put forward? I would go for no. 4 myself.

ninty9er

How it's actually been working is that members of the Ardchomhairle who are not from the constituency are sent to interview candidates. They will make a recommendation to the National Constituencies Committee which will then take representations made to it into account before making a decision.

Frankly, I can't say this strategy is wrong. It stops the selection of "Pat" who has been unsuccessful at every local election since 1945, just because he's been around a long time. This allows the better candidates to be vetted more stringently than in front of a room of 300 people, some of whom will have a favourite they want on the ticket before the debate begins.

Godge

FF have only one advantage going into the local elections - they did so badly the last time that a further collapse won't look as bad.

Seriously, given the dysfunctional nature of some of their local organisations - just look at the Castlebar set-up - they have to bring some order centrally in order to secure some decent line-ups.

OhNoYouDidn't

Stark wrote: »

Isn't that just the normal way that candidates are put forward? I would go for no. 4 myself.

No - the local cumann should be chosing from within their ranks and head office have to approve.

FF appear to have entirely centralised this in what appears to be an anti democratic move. Although probably not a bad idea when the local cumanns produce waste like Bev Flynn.

pigeonbutler

It's a dangerous move giving HQ the power to choose candidates. Once they get the principle of it into peoples heads we'll probably never see a convention again, even for general elections. If representatives are beholden to the leadership for their place on the ticket they're likely to be very slow to show any dissent, let alone try and unseat the leader.

In saying this, conventions have always been flawed. People often maintain an iron grip on control of cumainn are reluctant to let new people in as a result.

Allowing one man person - one vote and giving a vote to all members should be the way to go. It would encourage membership of the party and if membership got big enough would mean candidate selection votes would almost equate to US style closed primaries.

mumhaabu

Fianna Fail are picking the candidates by hand by intereview and wheras FG and Labour have their candidates picked ages ago and doing the door to door FF are busy interviewing each one and I have seen some real lemons selected to run around my way, it is as if they are trying to lose the Local elections.

It will be a political holocaust and FF will be annihilated at Local level and they appear to be dragging out the general cabbage heads in the party to keep them happy but to also teach them a political lesson wheras they will be wiped out and see all political aspirations crushed keeping the bulk of Fianna Fail under control of the same cliques and idiots who run it already.

....Looks forward to voting for Fine Gael and NO to LisbonII. :cool:

gaf1983

mumhaabu wrote: »

....Looks forward to voting for Fine Gael and NO to LisbonII. :cool:

Off topic but why are you voting for Fine Gael but then opposing Lisbon which they support?

To the OP:

-A flagrant disregard for the democratic will
-A terrible arrogance amongst the suits cultivated over 12 years of unbroken power
-A smart move which will yield a relatively successful local election result

I think it is a smart move. It's a bit of a win win situation. Seeing as opinion polls are showing a loss of confidence in the current government, if FF do badly in the locals, the party can blame the new selection procedure, rather than admitting that the electorate where unhappy with certain cutbacks etc. If FF do well, HQ can say it was thanks to our brilliant new selection procedure, we succeeded in getting good results despite the economic difficulties.

If it promotes fresh new blood into the party that is to be encouraged, as ninty9er said it's one way of getting rid of Pat the politician who's been failing for fifty years.

Tricity Bendix

FF are hardly the most democratic party to begin with, and never pretended to be. They will do whatever they think is best for the continuation and success of the party. No precedent is being set, that I can see, and if it doesn't work out for them they can always change for the next locals.