Brief Guide To Political Parties In The Republic

The Progressive Democrats, Fianna Fail's coalition partner in the current government, is another party that talks about moving away from Civil War politics. It was formed in 1985 from ex-members of Fianna Fail. It's main emphasis is on clean, efficient government without the rampant cronyism that often characterizes Irish politics. It places a strong emphasis as well on individual achievement, and is generally more clearly to the right than Fianna Fail.

Sinn Fein, which is most commonly heard in reference to Northern Ireland, also has a significant presence in the Republic and has one TD in the current Dail. It continued the militant republican tradition after Fianna Fail split from it, and became mostly identified with the struggle in the north, where today it has most of its support. The Green Party has two TDs in the current Dail, and is similar to other Green Parties around Europe. The Socialist Party has one TD as well, and is avowedly leftist and socialist, supporting public ownership and socialist planning of the main economic sectors.

In sum, Civil War politics looks set to carry on for the forseeable future, with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael as the two main parties of government. Together they have 131 seats in the current Dail (Fianna Fail 77, Fine Gael 54) and other parties combined have only 29. There was some hope that with the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, the national question would finally be settled and the conflict ended, opening up space for a left-right division to form. But these hopes are fading in tandem with the future prospects of the peace process. What some call the "cozy right-wing consensus" between the Civil War parties, divided only by a historical legacy, is thus likely to remain for some time yet.

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