Polling stations have opened across Ireland this morning as voters head to the polls for the country’s parliamentary elections. With three major political parties virtually neck-and-neck in the pre-election surveys, a tight race is expected.
The competition is particularly close between two center-right parties in the outgoing coalition, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, as well as the opposition party Sinn Fein. These parties have been at the forefront of election debates, with a focus on critical economic issues, housing shortages, and the cost-of-living crisis that has dominated the national conversation.
Ireland’s 5.4 million citizens are casting their ballots today for the 174 seats in the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of parliament. The results are expected to be close, with no party likely to secure an outright majority. As such, coalition talks are anticipated to follow, as it remains unlikely that any single party will win enough votes to form a government on its own.
Election predictions are expected to start coming in later today, once polling stations close. However, due to Ireland’s complex electoral system, the counting of votes is scheduled to begin tomorrow and could take several days.
Given the contentious political landscape and a fragmented electorate, discussions around coalition formation are expected to be a key theme in the days ahead. Voters will be closely watching how these talks unfold, with all parties scrambling to secure the necessary support for a stable government.
With economic concerns and housing issues taking center stage during the campaign, today’s election is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal in recent years for Ireland’s political future.
