FF/XX : What's the options?

[HanleyS]

Do you think that Fianna Fail are getting hurt at the moment because people don't know who they'll be in with if they get in?

The alternative government is the only viable option on the table at the moment. There are so many potentiall FF options that people might get confused?

[Blue Tide]

Well if Fianna Fail and someone else is the only option available, and with new revalations coming in on a weekly basis, I could forsee parties like the greens and labour demanding Ahern's resignation before they would even consider going into coalition with Fianna Fail. Going into coalition with a party who's leader has a reputation as tarnished as Bertie's is akin to tolerating that kind of behaviour. A coalition with Fianna Fail in its current state would look very bad to the green and labour party faithful.

[jmcc]

SF or the Greens?

[saratoga]

If Labour or the Greens asked for Bertie's head on a plate, the answer would be a simple "What if we say no?" Then the only two options then open to Labour/The Greens would be to string together an FG-Labour-Greens-Independents coalition and hope for the best, or else go back to the country for another general election. Bertie and FF would like to see them try the first option. At worst it'd been a year or two in opposition until it all falls apart and Bertie gets back in. The second option would only suit FF. They'd have the money for a second election, the likes of the Greens would not.

[Blue Tide]

Well I'd imagine Sinn Fein would have no difficulty whatsoever with a coalition with Fianna Fail. Sinn Fein were alot more recently than the early 90s(time of bertie's dodgey dealings) involved in paramilitary activitity. FF's lack of standards pale into insignificance when compared to that of SF, and considering FF's disposition towards U-turns, a FF/SF coalition is a very likely outcome indeed.

[HanleyS]

It's quite funny when you think about it. If Fianna Fail ask their voters to continue their preference for PDs then it will be a complete waste. If they don't then they have to cut the PDs loose.

[Catalpa]

I just can't see any Party Leader recommending going into Coalition now with FF as long as Bertie Ahern is head of FF..

The Party Faithful would just not buy it - even if their politicans were tempted.

Bertie either wins outright (almost certainly impossible now) or he is a goner.

[Blue Tide]

Again Catalpa if sinn fein are so unashamed of their violent past, going in with a crook like Bertie isn't exactly going to stretch their integrity to breaking point. Which is more morally reprehendsible, terrorist activities or the bertigate scandal?

[saratoga]

I just can't see any Party Leader recommending going into Coalition now with FF as long as Bertie Ahern is head of FF..

The Party Faithful would just not buy it - even if their politicans were tempted.

Bertie either wins outright (almost certainly impossible now) or he is a goner.

A surreal take on events, to be sure. Bertie's support inside FF is solid, the only way he becomes vulnerable is if FF lose so many seats that they end up in opposition. And even then, it's only the beginning of a heave that would take some considerable time to materalise into a threat to his leadership. To think that the likes of Pat Rabbitte stamping his little foot is going to have the slightest impact on the leadership of Fianna Fail is simply a joke. The 'Labour Party faithful' have no greater say in the matter. If they need to join up with FF, but don't want to join up with Bertie, FF will just tell them to go join up with someone else, full stop. They'll soon withdraw the request. So in fact, they won't make it to begin with.

[Limerick Lad]

Well I'd imagine Sinn Fein would have no difficulty whatsoever with a coalition with Fianna Fail. Sinn Fein were alot more recently than the early 90s(time of bertie's dodgey dealings) involved in paramilitary activitity. FF's lack of standards pale into insignificance when compared to that of SF, and considering FF's disposition towards U-turns, a FF/SF coalition is a very likely outcome indeed.

SF would be delighted to get into Government with FF even with Bogus Bertie at the helm, as you say SF have far more skeletons in their closet than even the most corrupt of any FFer past or present, but with the expected FF losses it's likely they too would fall short of the magic number to form a majority Government, more likely would be a SF/FF minority Government supported by FF gene-pool independents.