Votes on draft agreement to form a new Irish government announced today
The results of the recent votes on a new Irish coalition government will be announced today, determining whether the centre-right Fianna Fail, Prime Minster Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael and the environmentalist Green Party will jointly govern Ireland.
The three parties published a draft programme titled “Our Shared Future” as a compromise on June 15, marking a historic first attempt at joint governance between centrist rivals Fianna Fail and Fine Gail. The agreement excludes left-wing nationalist party Sinn Fein, which secured the most votes in the February 2020 general elections that left no party with a majority.
The draft deal contains pledges concerning party stances and commitments in Northern Ireland, as well as a national recovery plan to repair the economic damage caused by COVID-19. Several high-profile Green Party members still oppose the agreement, with leading officials such as Northern Ireland’s Claire Bailey speaking out against the deal for its fiscal conservatism in setting annual emissions reduction targets at 7%. Nevertheless, Green Party members will likely vote to join the coalition, as it will shift newfound policymaking power to the smaller party.
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