Fianna Fail to join Liberals in Europe

[Chrisco]

Please change the thread title. We are not joining the Liberals, we are joining the Alliance of liberals and DEMOCRATS of Europe. Emphasis on Democrats. It's a big tent. That's our mantra.

If I remember correctly, Romano Prodi's crowd are in it.

It is true that FF are more likely to be joining to European Democratic Party wing of the ALDE, rather than the ELDR, but this just serves to illustrate the ideological bankruptcy of Fianna Fáil that it can in one go jump from a grouping that is known for its right-wing nationalism and Euro-centrism, to another that centrist and pro-European integration.

At the end of the day though, this is all about dealing with the fallout from Lisbon and attempting to build alliances in Europe at a time when Ireland needs all the friends it can get.

Cynical, yes, but pragmatic also.

That's FF for you.

[turdsl]

Lets see will they get anyone elected first.

[zeleneye]

At the end of the day though, this is all about dealing with the fallout from Lisbon and attempting to build alliances in Europe at a time when Ireland needs all the friends it can get.

I would say it is more to do with the fact that UEN is predicted to break up after the elections, with the Conservatives on a drive to build a new right-wing group in the EP. FFail couldn't sit with the Conservatives, so they had little choice.

There is no other way the strict moral conservatives like Crowley or O'Neachtain would have tolerated it. In general, it is a positive development for Irish politics and influence. UEN was a hotch-potch of xenophobes, former fascists and homophobes, with very few serious policies or competent politicians.

EP groups (as someone else pointed out) are crucial for determining policy in the EP. You need to be in them to shape the policies. Even though FF aren't known for policy-prowess, it is better to be in the club than out.

The interesting thing will be what they do with some of their currently over-paid staff. Groups get staff and FF packed the UEN group with their henchmen. These people are now going to have to try and weasel into jobs in the Liberal group. Good luck to them.

[Earnest]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Earnest
United Kingdom
Liberal Democrat Party (amalgamation of left-of-centre party and right-wing breakaway from Labour)

Point of order:

The Lib Dems were a merger between the Social Democrat breakaways from Labour, and the remnants of the old Liberal Party, which conceived of itself as a "radical, non-Socialist party".

That's what I said, isn't it? The old Liberal Party (left-of-centre) and the Social Democrats (a right-wing breakaway from Labour).

[MacCoise]

Does anybody actually believe this will gain/lose FF a single vote?

[zeleneye]

Does anybody actually believe this will gain/lose FF a single vote?

I see them retaining all four seats. If the polls are to be trusted, 1/4 of the electorate is still stupid or numb enough to vote FF. If that breaks down even marginally by constituency, they should hold what they have.

[euroboy]

I'm not an FF supporter, but I would strongly welcome this move. Fianna Fail hanging out with the UEN was a national embarrassment. It's a totally inappropriate place for a party like Fianna Fail to be

Yes, it is puzzling why FF were aligned to such a group. The fact that it got away with it and it didnt cause much embarrassment demonstrates that what happens in the EP still plays second fiddle to the electorate. The citizen isnt much involved with the EP and that is not the EPs fault, its national parties.

A earlier poster asked why FG and Labour never inform the electorate about how important the Groups they are members of are, ie by receiving committee chairs. . Thats also a collusion, all the major parties here collude amongst themselves to keep such information from the electorate and it doesnt help the democratic deficit. It doesnt help the deficit either that most political parties run on national issues or without reference to their euro groupings.

Would FF voters really vote FF in the Euros if they knew what group and what little influence FF MEPs had being in AEN? Would FF voters not prefer to vote FG for Euros, knowing the EPP-EN they have membership closer represents their views.

The tactics and collusion amongst national political parties in regard to the Euros reinforces the democratic deficit, and rather than yap on about how Lisbon would make the Union more democratic, it would be better if they ran the Euros on european issues and on a clear platform of where they and their group stand on issues.