Coalition history repeats itself for Irish Greens as support falls

Ireland's voters went to the polls in a general election in February 2020. No political party received a majority, although Sinn Féin the Irish republican political party made significant gains. As a means of excluding them from power, the two centre-right Irish political parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, eventually agreed to form a coalition government with the Irish Green Party. The Greens had gained some electoral support largely because of the growing concerns and awareness about climate change.

However, the Green party entering into coalition with the parties of the status quo, was not viewed favourably by a number of their own members. It also now seems that it has not met with a favourable response from Ireland's voters. According to a new opinion poll conducted by Ireland Thinks for the Mail on Sunday the Green Party have lost almost half of the support they had last month, from 8% to 5%, after entering a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Meanwhile Sinn Féin, led by Mary Lou McDonald and which had its best-ever election result in February, has largely kept its level of support at 26%. The party currently sits as the main opposition in the Oireachtas (the parliament of Ireland).

There is a growing concern within the Irish Green Party and those that voted for them that history might be repeating itself in making the decision to go into a coalition government. There continues to be an enduring memory that the last time the Green Party shared power with Fianna Fáil, in a coalition government from 2007-2011, it went along with austerity policies and participated in a government also scarred by sleaze and corruption. The result was that the Greens were decimated in the 2011 Irish general election. There is no avoiding the fact that they have a proven track record of willingness to pursue policies that are not in the interest of ordinary Irish working people. It appears to many that the situation may not have changed albeit they wrap themselves in a veneer of supporting eco-friendly policies. 

The signs are not good. Last week Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan fell asleep in the Dáil (principal chamber of the Irish legislature) during a vote on workers rights. As reported in the newspaper the Irish Post: "His name was called several times and he was eventually woken by a fellow TD sitting near him, and voted no to the motion which would have created a living wage and protected workers' rights." It seems that some things do not change. Maybe it is no surprise that Ireland's Green Party are seen as a safe pair of hands as far as the establishment and big business interests are concerned and the description of them as being no more than 'eco-Tories', is perhaps justified. 

Image above: Eamon Ryan Irish Green Party leader falls asleep during a vote on workers rights courtesy of the Irish Post.