Sargent rules out coalition with Fianna Fáil

[David Cochrane]

Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has rejected a suggestion from the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern that his party could go into government with Fianna Fáil after the next election.

"I have said before that I will not lead the Greens into a coalition with Fianna Fáil in its present form. The party needs to go into opposition and radically change itself before the Greens could even consider a coalition with it," Mr Sargent told The Irish Times.

He said that a root and branch reform of Fianna Fáil and particularly its approach to ethics in public office and its relationship with vested interests would have to happen. - Irish Times

Other coverage: Irish Independent

[hiding behind a poster]

Good news for D'Alternative. Looking like all the smaller parties are one by one catching the electoral wind, and seeing that to leave the option of coalition with FF open is to invite punishment from the electorate. Kinda shows just how deep-rooted the anti-FF mood is among the voters is right now - and if so it'll take more than a giveaway budget to change their minds.

[rockofcashel]

Good news for D'Alternative. Looking like all the smaller parties are one by one catching the electoral wind, and seeing that to leave the option of coalition with FF open is to invite punishment from the electorate. Kinda shows just how deep-rooted the anti-FF mood is among the voters is right now - and if so it'll take more than a giveaway budget to change their minds.

Ahem .. ask the ordinary members of "the smaller parties" Hiding, and you'll find most of them don't want anything to do with FG either.

[hiding behind a poster]

Ahem .. ask the ordinary members of "the smaller parties" Hiding, and you'll find most of them don't want anything to do with FG either.

I think you know my point, rock. I suppose I could qualify it by saying "the small parties who are interested in government-forming" - and in that regard its good from our point of view to see Labour and now the Greens take this approach. As for the others - while obviously the PDs won't rule out coalition with FF, they'll spend the election distancing themselves from FF as much as possible, in a futile attempt to convince the electorate that theyre somehow different. The likes of the SP and SWP aren't interested in government-forming (not as long as capitalism exists, anyway), which leaves SF. And SF know that there's no hope of FG joining with them (not after this election, anyway), so it suits them to stay quiet on the coalition issue, seeing as they've only one realistic option. The good news from the FG point of view is that those parties to whom both options are open are sh*tting on the FF option as much as possible - which means they're picking up the same electoral vibes as we are.

[oreiley1]

After the next election there should be a left/right realignment in Irish politics. It is totally ridiculous that we have two right wing parties at the helm in Irish politics. Both FF and FG should be forced into coalition with each other.

[President Bartlet]

They rule it out pre-election - but post election now thats a different ball game - u mean that Trev would not be tempted by a Ministerial Merc (or would that be a bike in Trev's case?), the position of Tanaiste and be Minister for the Environment in an FF/GR govt and an opportunity to get some of his policies implemented - me thinks he would - he'd be a fool not to.

[doozer]

They rule it out pre-election - but post election now thats a different ball game - u mean that Trev would not be tempted by a Ministerial Merc (or would that be a bike in Trev's case?), the position of Tanaiste and be Minister for the Environment in an FF/GR govt and an opportunity to get some of his policies implemented - me thinks he would - he'd be a fool not to.

I doubt the Greens would risk alienating their core voter group by cozying up to Fine Fail, who they constantly cite as being irretrievably corrupt.

Unlike Fine Fail most of the other parties have some semblance of integrity and don't take the "I'll sell my granny to stay in power" attitude to politics!

This statement from the Greens is positive progress for FG even if in the end they are surplus to requirements. It certainly is a redflag in terms of how objectionable FF have become.

[info]

Bar ff/fg, everyone will deal with everyone else. It's nonsense to pay any heed to what anyone says while in election mode. All politicians are principiled before elections and pragmatic after.

[doozer]

Bar ff/fg, everyone will deal with everyone else. It's nonsense to pay any heed to what anyone says while in election mode. All politicians are principiled before elections and pragmatic after.

Perhaps, but there is the distinct whiff of annihilation surrounding FF at the moment and the smaller parties, quite rightly, don't want to catch it off them. We'll see come June/July '07 but to be honest I'd be surprised if FF were in a position to go into coalition with the Greens in any case.

[qtman]

Good news for D'Alternative. Looking like all the smaller parties are one by one catching the electoral wind, and seeing that to leave the option of coalition with FF open is to invite punishment from the electorate. Kinda shows just how deep-rooted the anti-FF mood is among the voters is right now - and if so it'll take more than a giveaway budget to change their minds.

Ahem .. ask the ordinary members of "the smaller parties" Hiding, and you'll find most of them don't want anything to do with FG either.

Precisely. This is all just electoral padding. TS would be saying the same thing about FG if they were in Government. Its all good press. It promotes the GP as the moral conscience of Irish politics. The PDs are probably the only other party who can wear this mantel.