Four years ago the Irish establishment was rocked when Sinn Fein topped the poll in the General Election. Working class and young people unable to afford rents or homes voted for the party in huge numbers. Dubbed left wing populists by the media, pundits warned that if the party got into government the Republic it would end up like Venezuela as Mary Lou was pronounced the Irish Trump.
Fast Forward June 2024 and SF collapsed in local and European elections with just 12% of the vote. Flat footed by the spiraling immigration crisis many working class voters abandoned the party, accusing it of not taking a tough enough line on immigration. Flip flopping on its EU critical approach, the Hate Speech bill and the Family referendums also lost it support. As concern rose about high numbers of asylum seekers and immigrants arriving in the Free State it was Sinn Fein in opposition rather than the government parties who suffered voter backlash. On social media platforms the party was attacked as traitors and ‘Sharia Fein’ by anti immigration groups and new right wing parties. Rocked also by recent controversy about references for a sex offender and high profile resignations of several TDs SF appears neither populist nor popular anymore.
Heading towards the General Election – who are the new populists now? How popular are they? And what if anything do they have in common with new populist parties in Europe? Some commentators speculate about a new farmers party alliance and the high number of independent TDs are evidence of a new populism. But many of these players side with the current government in crunch votes and are more pro-establishment than populist.
New parties and groupings have emerged like Ireland First, Irish People, The National Party and Irish Freedom Party who self describe as libertarian, anti EU and nationalist. Common characteristics include right wing, immigration critical, ‘anti-Woke’ and small. Similar micro-groups also oppose globalism, transgenderism, climate change, Covid and free speech restrictions and the content of sex and relationship teaching in schools. But it is their opposition to Migration, specifically settlement of migrants and asylum seekers in shelters across the 26 counties that particularly unites them ideologically. However they are divided and fragmented organisationally. For example in the June EU election in one EU constituency alone there were 10 different anti-immigration candidates standing.
They are vocal on social media and visible on the streets via pickets and marches. Their protests are framed within the language and symbolism of Irish Nationalism. They frequently attack SF accusing them of being ‘Woke, globalist traitors’. They seek to replace them as the party of Irish nationalism moving it rightwards in the process.
So can they become a major force in Irish politics? Unlikely for now I’d argue. First a reconfiguration or amalgamation is required to move beyond their sectarian infighting and into a more coherent force. Otherwise will they remain loud angry voices on outsized media platforms that never translate into electoral success. In the June local elections right wing populists on an
anti immigration ticket won 1.7 % of the vote and had five or 6 people elected out of the nearly 900 seats available. In the EU elections they won 4.9% of the vote coming very close to having Nial Boylan the Radio disk jockey/host elected in Dublin. A health warning on these figures is that what constitutes a far right, populist and anti immigration candidate is still contested.
The best example of successful right wing populism to date is probably the website Gript. A relatively newbie it has already made its mark via penetrating questioning of state bodies and NGOs. It has put govt ministers on the back foot when questioning them about Hate speech laws, transgender issues, immigration and other culture war issues. Like it or loathe it, Gript has succeeded in attracting a sizeable following to its journalism and commentary.
With the Election imminent, Ireland First, Irish People and the National Party along with some independent candidates have just agreed the formation of a ‘National Alliance’ in an attempt to maximise their electoral impact. Will they manage to make a significant impact in the election? I doubt it.
Having a visible and noisy presence on NSM and street protests is no substitute for organisational and policy coherence. It’s one thing hyperventilating in the rhetoric of invasions, plantations and the regime on social media silos but another thing to win the hearts and minds of the Irish people. Voters expect candidates to be relatable and to look and sound like them. Not to sound like weirdos and racists which is the impression given by much of their rhetoric on social media and on their anti immigrant protests.
It’s problematic to tar the various right wing anti-immigrant groups and candidates with the one brush. But right now they appear too angry, loud, stuck in a silo and woefully unprepared to match the success of populists in other parts of Europe. It is utterly legitimate to be concerned about the migration issue and its shambolic handling by the Dublin government. But to make a difference the anti-immigrant groups in the Free State need to decide if they want to remain keyboard warriors or become a serious political force. That will mean deleting the racist element and developing a language and policies that propose meaningful and fair solutions to the migration crisis.So far there is little sign of that happening.
This Sunday October 20th, irishborderpoll.com editor Kevin Rooney brings together a diverse panel of speakers at the Battle of Ideas Festival in the heart of London to debate ‘Ireland’s New Populism’. Are we witnessing the rise of populism in Ireland? Who are the Irish populists? And, with little electoral success just how popular are they? Join us if you can.
Four years ago the Irish establishment was rocked when Sinn Fein topped the poll in the General Election. Working class and young people unable to afford rents or homes voted for the party in huge numbers. Dubbed left wing populists by the media, pundits warned that if the party got into government the Republic it would end up like Venezuela as Mary Lou was pronounced the Irish Trump.
Fast Forward June 2024 and SF collapsed in local and European elections with just 12% of the vote. Flat footed by the spiraling immigration crisis many working class voters abandoned the party, accusing it of not taking a tough enough line on immigration. Flip flopping on its EU critical approach, the Hate Speech bill and the Family referendums also lost it support. As concern rose about high numbers of asylum seekers and immigrants arriving in the Free State it was Sinn Fein in opposition rather than the government parties who suffered voter backlash. On social media platforms the party was attacked as traitors and ‘Sharia Fein’ by anti immigration groups and new right wing parties. Rocked also by recent controversy about references for a sex offender and high profile resignations of several TDs SF appears neither populist nor popular anymore.
Heading towards the General Election – who are the new populists now? How popular are they? And what if anything do they have in common with new populist parties in Europe? Some commentators speculate about a new farmers party alliance and the high number of independent TDs are evidence of a new populism. But many of these players side with the current government in crunch votes and are more pro-establishment than populist.
New parties and groupings have emerged like Ireland First, Irish People, The National Party and Irish Freedom Party who self describe as libertarian, anti EU and nationalist. Common characteristics include right wing, immigration critical, ‘anti-Woke’ and small. Similar micro-groups also oppose globalism, transgenderism, climate change, Covid and free speech restrictions and the content of sex and relationship teaching in schools. But it is their opposition to Migration, specifically settlement of migrants and asylum seekers in shelters across the 26 counties that particularly unites them ideologically. However they are divided and fragmented organisationally. For example in the June EU election in one EU constituency alone there were 10 different anti-immigration candidates standing.
They are vocal on social media and visible on the streets via pickets and marches. Their protests are framed within the language and symbolism of Irish Nationalism. They frequently attack SF accusing them of being ‘Woke, globalist traitors’. They seek to replace them as the party of Irish nationalism moving it rightwards in the process.
So can they become a major force in Irish politics? Unlikely for now I’d argue. First a reconfiguration or amalgamation is required to move beyond their sectarian infighting and into a more coherent force. Otherwise will they remain loud angry voices on outsized media platforms that never translate into electoral success. In the June local elections right wing populists on an
anti immigration ticket won 1.7 % of the vote and had five or 6 people elected out of the nearly 900 seats available. In the EU elections they won 4.9% of the vote coming very close to having Nial Boylan the Radio disk jockey/host elected in Dublin. A health warning on these figures is that what constitutes a far right, populist and anti immigration candidate is still contested.
The best example of successful right wing populism to date is probably the website Gript. A relatively newbie it has already made its mark via penetrating questioning of state bodies and NGOs. It has put govt ministers on the back foot when questioning them about Hate speech laws, transgender issues, immigration and other culture war issues. Like it or loathe it, Gript has succeeded in attracting a sizeable following to its journalism and commentary.
With the Election imminent, Ireland First, Irish People and the National Party along with some independent candidates have just agreed the formation of a ‘National Alliance’ in an attempt to maximise their electoral impact. Will they manage to make a significant impact in the election? I doubt it.
Having a visible and noisy presence on NSM and street protests is no substitute for organisational and policy coherence. It’s one thing hyperventilating in the rhetoric of invasions, plantations and the regime on social media silos but another thing to win the hearts and minds of the Irish people. Voters expect candidates to be relatable and to look and sound like them. Not to sound like weirdos and racists which is the impression given by much of their rhetoric on social media and on their anti immigrant protests.
It’s problematic to tar the various right wing anti-immigrant groups and candidates with the one brush. But right now they appear too angry, loud, stuck in a silo and woefully unprepared to match the success of populists in other parts of Europe. It is utterly legitimate to be concerned about the migration issue and its shambolic handling by the Dublin government. But to make a difference the anti-immigrant groups in the Free State need to decide if they want to remain keyboard warriors or become a serious political force. That will mean deleting the racist element and developing a language and policies that propose meaningful and fair solutions to the migration crisis.So far there is little sign of that happening.
This Sunday October 20th, irishborderpoll.com editor Kevin Rooney brings together a diverse panel of speakers at the Battle of Ideas Festival in the heart of London to debate ‘Ireland’s New Populism’. Are we witnessing the rise of populism in Ireland? Who are the Irish populists? And, with little electoral success just how popular are they? Join us if you can.