When will the next general election be?

100% it will be this year.

Whatever about Oct/Nov weather, an election campaign in February is utter misery and everyone is fed up after a long winter. Plus the hospitals are always in dire shape and FFG don't want reminders of that.

That's what I heard aswell.

I hate all this strategic nonsense when it comes to general elections. It's not the world cup final and the manager is deciding which subs to make at the hour mark to win the game. This is politicians deciding when they have a better chance of winning rather than the best interests of the place. "Sur lets give pensioners 20 quid instead of a tenner Mick that'll get us some votes". If an election has to be held by March the rule should be they have the election between the 1st and 31st of March.

So really exactly like the world Cup where suitably timed move might win the day.

I'm actually grand😊 it's just annoying these guessing games about something so important. I probably went a bit overboard with oul post😋

My guess would be Friday 1st November. Have the budget late September/ early October then a few days later SH calls General Election. October campaigning won't be too bad weather wise. The week of the election would begin with a Bank Holiday Monday and day before voting would be Halloween so hopefully people would be in good mood.

Ball in your court, Harris

Has Harris not already answered this question 10-20 times in interviews already? what exactly has changed?

I said it a long time, time is SF enemy, the more time they are allowed between elections the more they will lose support, they are an incompetent shambles and I expect them to start a big infight anytime soon which will help the government.

MLMD going onto TV to call everyone idiots for mixing up SF with the government

Then doing an interview to say they need to look at their policies? they have had 5 years to look at their policies. What exactly are they going to change now? a shambles

Giveaway budget followed by Nov elections imo

Talking to a man earlier he made a good point regarding turnout and SF. Earlier I said if Govt went well and SF faired poorly then Govt (for their own ends not because I wish them well) should call an early election. But he reckoned that SF need a turnout of 65% to get their full vote out 🤷‍♂️

Seems to be some suggestions that by-elections could be earlier than expected, possibly September which would imply a 2025 election, though I still think Autumn is the best bet.

The by-elections in Carlow/Kilkenny which SF will hold, Clare assuming McNamara stays in Europe - no idea how this will go and hard to see Labour holding AOR's seat, FF will hold Cowen's seat.

Time may also be SF's friend. If the general election was tomorrow they would be in trouble but given time they can improve while anything could happen for the government parties including things outside their control, think Covid, Russia invading Ukraine. You never know their could be a change of leadership for SF. Look what it did for FG.

If the party strategists are not looking at every scenario for the election timing then they are a shambles. I also would not expect Simon Harris to be providing insight into those strategy discussions when asked about the election date.

Whoever might be appointed - P. O'Neill for example.

I'm not saying it is likely but who thought on St. Patrick's day FG would have a new leader.

You seem to think there is nobody who could take on the job and be seen as an improvement. Simon Harris is a good example of someone getting leadership and performing better than many would have expected.

How many by elections are due after the European elections? How will that affect the thinking.

We are in very strange times, I don't think anyone could predict what will happen in the GE, myself included.

It is however, difficult to see a Government with out FF/Fg….I just don't see it. The only hope for people like me is a good showing by an Independent Ireland (or whatever they are called) who might put the brakes on a lot of the silly culture policies and might just refocus the Govt on real issues affecting most of us.

It's looking we are outliers in Europe at this stage.