Sinn Fein and how do they form a government dilemma

Dancing on the pinhead.

Yeh, the difference between a poll and a General Election is a 'pinhead'.

'that power swapped between'.

 If you understand grammar it's a fairly benign statement of fact. If I'd written, 'They swapped power between them' that would validate your complaint.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but it did lead to a cosiness and sham fighting to appear different when they weren't really anymore.

It led to situations where the likes of Enda Kenny could promise a new politics with no intention of delivering it, knowing that it would not do any long term damage.

*I get that I phrased it wrong in the past, but once I understood that I changed how I phrased it. Maybe you should review your understanding of it.

Terrible debating to be honest.
Having to invent stuff people are saying is not a good place to be.
Refusing to back up what you are claiming again and again, not a good look either.

We are talking in the context of polls and based on that we are speculating about the formation of the next government.

Its the entire basis of the thread FFS!

You know this.

I know this.

So stop playing silly games about being pedantic about every single thing.

Just because SF is shedding support according to polls, aint my problem. Perhaps reflect on the why.

You responded to a post where I corrected somebody who claimed SF 'are shedding votes'.
They aren't.
Are they falling in the polls, yes, some of them and they are rising in others.

Nobody is disagreeing with your point on the polls Mark.

And I explained I had in the past used the term incorrectly.

But it is my opinion (sorry you disagree with it) that the fact that power swapped between just two parties (through no sinister manipulating or fault of their own) led to the situation we have had for quite a while. Two parties who are essentially the same, in a cozy relationship which has led to a level of toxicity in Irish politics and governance.

It would consign them to opposition again untill at least 2030 on recent trends as the current government would get reelected though wouldn't it

I doubt the greens would have any hassle ok'ing another agreement given their success in implimenting what they wanted and the FG and FF leadership do prefer a continuation dont they,its extremely unlikely their conventions would vote that down either now isnt it,lets be realistic

Look, I know it is your habit to mis-represent what has been said.
I quite clearly said that I don't use 'powerswap' any longer and clarified what I mean't by it.

If you can't cope with somebody accepting they wrongly used a term, that is your issue.

Now if you genuinely want to understand what I mean about 'a level of toxicity', scroll back a few posts and read what I said about Enda Kenny etc.

Disaster? That's a bit of an exaggeration tbh.

SF were talked about in leading the next government with a left-wing party.

Some were getting giddy at the prospect that SF could get an overall majority.

Now, those days are done.

SF support is back to where it was in 2020, at the last GE.

Their only option to power is now with FF or FG, so there goes the "Change" argument

And guess what?

Their support has fallen where they have not spent one day in power, not one.

Across the water, Labour has a 20-point lead on the Tories, even though Sir Keir Starmer, isn't all that popular.

FG has been in power 14 years, and SF is in the margin of error next to them.

Yeap, in hindsight its a disaster.

SF should be out of sight, but they made bags of it.

The people have gotten tired of their consistent whining, their flip flopping, their lack of solutions and policies.

Immigration has hit them very very hard and their working-class voters are abonding them in droves as the polls are suggesting.

Even their candiates are quite weak. The SF guy on upfront was like white bread. Weak and tasteless. They have a serious lack of talent in their ranks.

And while their party is out trying to get votes, MLMD is off to the US, swanning about about place attending expensive BBQ's trying to raise money.

She has more or less thrown in the towel, she is nowhere to be seen. What is her view on immigration? No one really knows.

You blamed FF and FG and the 'powerswap' for the toxicity in Irish politics.

These are your words.

Now, either you are making stuff up… again, or you genuinely believe it.

Either or, can you elaborate on it.

SF were talked about in leading the next government with a left-wing party.

Some were getting giddy at the prospect that SF could get an overall majority.

Neither of these two apply to me.
Take it up with those who posted in that way.

Ok, lets go back to the question at hand.

How do SF form a government, and how do they form one without FG and FF?

You should have included the 'cozy relationship' bit cos it's the new pejorative term from power swap.

Of course a coalition of SF/FF which the poster has been advocating, indeed stipulating that it is FFs 'last chance saloon' could never be described as such. That would instead be a 'negotiation of a palatable programme for Government'.

That is the most banal answer possible. Well done.

No substance and no thought behind it.

Which parties should SF negotiate with and what number of seats would be a good outcome for SF?