The wondrous adventures of Sinn Fein (part 3) Mod Notes and Threadbanned List in OP

Neither FF or FG can afford prolonged coalitions together.

If they present themselves next time around as the same old same old, I'd expect to see their numbers tumble as they did last time out.

Big dilemma for them especially FF.

They won' get away with lie 'we'll never go in with FG'.

Yes, I never believed the bullshit that grassroots FF have any particular hate for SF. They would hate FG far more.

I think the key thing at the next election will be getting the power swap to tell the truth about what they intend to do after the election. Two new leaders of FF and FG too almost bankable.

Just to add (and anyone who knows my posting would know this) Micheal Martin warped the outcome last time. Anyone else leading FF and we would now be in a FF/SF coalition government.

It was Martin zealousness to be Taoiseach that led us to where we are now. He opened the door when he thought he had 50 seats approx on the night of the GE...when it turned out he was on a par with ML and he might have to forego first dibs as Taoiseach he shut the door again.

I will be amazed if they go full term and hope they do. A sickening of a FF/FG coalition will finish the powerswap for good.

I haven't seen anyone propose this 'Utopia' mark. Can you point to them doing it?

And please, it is almost as if you think people are stupid. FG and FF did the same things in 'opposition' the only exception being the quality of their holding the sitting government to account.

The government arrogance and anger at the opposition holding them to account is a testimony to how the function of that role has changed for the better here.

I think it is the power swap fans who sell these magic beans that FF and FG are some sort of unique pure thing that would never engage in politics like every other single party in the history of the democratic world do.

Disagree totally. FF grassroots hate FG most of all. You can see this in any local authority in the land. Ideologically and on the question of northern Ireland FF would always have been closer to SF. They may see them as rivals but they would have no problem in a coalition.

I don't really care what people have made them selves believe, but it was Martin taking FF out on a limb coalescing with FG. and if constant reports of inner wrangling are correct he may pay a price for that yet. The recriminations if they get decimated will not be pretty and may even terminally split the party.

Well my father (originally a Fermanagh man) was a member for a time and I grew up with my eyes open dudley.

?? The next leader (bookie favourite) of FF Jim O'Callaghan has already indicated he doesn't have an issue with a SF coalition as have other FF members. A long term coalition with FG spells the slow end of FF.

I know many here are in denial about what the media and many others saw here on the election thread, but Micheál also opened the door to them when he thought he was going to achieve around 50 seats.

The 'driving away' sensationalism seems to be just that, an invention.

When you learn to read between the lines of political speak, maybe take another look at what is being said.

Politicians give signals all the time, that is why media immediately recognised Martin opening the door on the night of the election.

You are free to hold your opinion, I have mine.

None of them do, it is actually simple in percentage terms to call out who/what has a majority.

Ireland has so many parties and has a split in preferences meaning to get an overall majority the main party nearly always has to go in with a smaller party.

In parliamentary procedure, the term "majority" simply means "more than half." As it relates to a vote, a majority vote is more than half of the votes cast.

Sinn Fein will be in government in the short/medium term and what will make or break them is who they go in to power with.

If they go in with FF or FG they will lose a lot of the anti FF/FG voters and if they go in with PBP etc... they are going to lose others.