Ireland is holding early parliamentary elections to form a new government.
The opposition party Sinn Féin secured the most votes in the general elections, gaining 21.1%, according to exit polls. However, two parties — Fine Gael (21.0%) and Fianna Fáil (19.5%) — have the potential to join forces and form a government without the participation of the winner.
Independent right-wing candidates are increasing pressure on the current centrist coalition. For the first time in the country’s history, immigration policy has become a central election issue.
According to exit polls, Ireland’s three leading parties — Sinn Féin, Fine Gael, and Fianna Fáil — finished the election in a near tie, making the formation of a new coalition government challenging.
Sinn Féin: 21.1%
Fine Gael: 21%
Fianna Fáil: 19.5%
A stable majority in parliament requires around 50% of the votes, which two of the three leading parties alone cannot achieve.
Vote counting will begin on Saturday, with full results expected by Sunday evening due to Ireland’s complex proportional representation system. The potential coalition between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil faces a shortfall in votes. Both leaders have ruled out collaborating with Sinn Féin, putting the latter in a difficult position to form its own coalition.
