Majority of seats called in Ireland's general election but tough coalition talks lie ahead

euronews (in English)

The results of the election mean Ireland has partly bucked the global trend of incumbents being rejected by disgruntled voters after years of pandemic measures, international instability and cost-of-living pressures.

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00:00Ireland's two main centre-right parties look set to form the country's next government

00:06as the final results from the general election trickle in.

00:10But both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil took a reduced vote share and face complex coalition

00:15negotiations to put the new administration together.

00:18Public broadcaster RTE reports 153 seats in the 174-seat lower house of parliament have

00:25been called.

00:26Fianna Fáil have taken 40 with Fine Gael winning 33.

00:30Well I think there is a very clear route back to government although it's not fully determined

00:36because a lot will depend on those final seats that I've spoken about.

00:40But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role

00:44to play in the years ahead and I'm cautiously optimistic and excited about what the weeks

00:49ahead hold.

00:50In second place is the left of centre Sinn Féin with 34 seats but it may struggle to

00:55find partners willing to form a coalition with it.

00:59Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have previously said they wouldn't work with the party citing

01:03its leftist policies and historic links with the IRA.

01:07I understand that that vote was for change, for a change in government and I and we will

01:15do everything that we can once the voting is finished and the seats are filled to pursue

01:20that goal.

01:21The cost of living and Ireland's housing crisis were dominant topics in the three-week election

01:26campaign.

01:27Immigration was also a key issue in the country of 5.4 million people.

01:32The results of the election mean Ireland has partly bucked the global trend of incumbents

01:37being rejected by disgruntled voters.

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