What do election results say about us as a nation?

[Bren Boru]

Ireland has lost its economic sovereignty. We all know that. This comes after 12 years off FF rule. However, we came within a hairs breadth of electing a former FF member / official / fund raiser / unapologetic spoofer as our First Citizen. He will still command a massive vote.

Furthermore, FF are coming in at around 22% in the by-election. Obviously, an element of that is Lenihan sympathy vote but it is still a remarkable result.

What does this say about us as a country? Clearly, I am not an FF'er, but I don't think this is a day to celebrate. More to be somewhat relieved.

[Tin Foil Hat]

The only thing we can gather from this election is that the Irish people, with the possible exception of Sinn Fein supporters, have finally separated party loyalty from the office of the President.
To be honest, the FF hysterics on this site is getting extremely dull.

[irishpancake]

It says a hell of a lot about the 26 County State......

Partitionist, crony-ist, myopic, shyster-loving, big-man loving, bag-man loving, brainless, politically uneducated, unsophisticated, uncultured, ignorant, money-grabbing, etc. etc. MaFFia Gangsters ........about 25%-30%

The other 70% approx....... none of the above.

[moralhazard77]

As David Norris correctly said it shows we haven't learnt much. For me election results nearly always disproves the theory of Solipsism and that I am indeed not the only person in the world. Either that or I am a secret FF supporter and I don't know it, in which case what's wrong with me?

[Keith-M]

Forget about Gallagher. We DID elect a Labour candidate who's party's manifesto was almost identical economically to FF's in 2007 and who's party is now implementing FF policy, while in government.

[hammer]

It says that SF will not be challenging in DW for another 10 years at least.

It says that DW may have a FF TD again in 2016.

There was a Lenihan sympathy vote and remember the entire FF organsation got to assist in DW because they weren`t involved in the Presidential Election. Wont be as easy in 2016.

[hammer]

Also the good news is that Fianna Fail spend heavily to keep this seat - AND IT FAILED.

They are more in debt

[stopdoingstuff]

As Keith M points out, there were no real differences in economic policy between the main parties and the pilicies of the current government are not so different than FF. Also, the current government are as ineffectual in Europe as the previous one. That being the case, these results show that either the electorate doesn't know how similar the main parties are or the electorate does know but doesn't care.

[hammer]

There is no real difference currently you mean.

7 months into Government.

Do I need to say it again

Budget 2012 will be a defining moment.

[LOCALHERO]

It's not so much about what the results say, but rather the calibre of candidates who were on the ballot. If that's the best we can dredge up for first citizen, it says rather a lot and 'tis not good.