Who should be the next leader of Fianna Fáil?

later12

Now of course BC hasn't resigned as of yet, but according to this article in today's Irish Times, Mary Hanafin has effectively thrown her hat into the ring to succeed him when the position inevitably arises.


So my question, to Fianna Fáilers in particular, is who would you like to see succeed Brian Cowen to the leadership and - one might suggest - the recovery of the party?

I am not a Fianna Fáil supporter, but I don not consider Mary Hanafin a tough enough or a wise enough political mover (in the Fianna Fáil spirit of things) to be their next leader. If the party wants to succeed and rebuild I would have thought Micheal Martin or even moreso, Noel Dempsey, would be the men for the job.
Opinions?

PS we all know that the party is dead, buried, buried again, having its grave danced on, dug up, pulse checked, dead, re-buried - etc. etc. ad-infinitum so no reminders please?

PeterIanStaker

But what if we like celebrating its downfall, albeit prematurely?


Back on topic, and to answer the OP's question, I would say Lenihan but for his illness.

uberwolf

who of the present cabinet is guaranteed re-election?

paddy462

After the next election I hope Fianna Fail are a party of no significance. I also hope the right people will create a new Liberal Democratic Party to rival Fianna Fail and gain support of those disillusioned with both FG and FF.

tfitzgerald

Micheal Martin would be my choice and while not a follower of ff I don't think even at this stage you can bury FF I think they will be back .

david75

Some of the cute hooer FF backbenchers are jumping ship in order to become 'independent' in the upcoming election. i wouldnt be voting for them or FF. You'll see none of the viable candidates throw their hat in the ring for the FF leadership..not for at least another 4-6 years and the election after the upcoming one. They're gonna get slaughtered at the polls in this one and will probably bounce happily back in the one after 'cos whoever gets in in the next election will be blamed on all the crap by the public, because the public have zero memory about these things.

tfitzgerald

david75 wrote: »

Some of the cute hooer FF backbenchers are jumping ship in order to become 'independent' in the upcoming election. i wouldnt be voting for them or FF. You'll see none of the viable candidates throw their hat in the ring for the FF leadership..not for at least another 4-6 years and the election after the upcoming one. They're gonna get slaughtered at the polls in this one and will probably bounce happily back in the one after 'cos whoever gets in in the next election will be blamed on all the crap by the public, because the public have zero memory about these things.

This post is spot on

Shea O'Meara

It's of little matter. They need a caretaker leader, a few years in the abyss and all will be forgiven by their gombeen supporters. A new snazzy logo and they're set.

PeterIanStaker

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

It's of little matter. They need a caretaker leader, a few years in the abyss and all will be forgiven by their gombeen supporters. A new snazzy logo and they're set.

Sad but true.

Revolution9

Hopefully some young, fresh, uncorrupted and honest TD who most of us are not yet aware of on a national level.

Oh wait, this is Fianna Fail...Hanafin or Lenihan it is so, more of the same.

ISAW

tfitzgerald wrote: »

This post is spot on

Why didn't you thank him then?

kincsem

I would prefer to see them disbanded and proscribed as an enemy of the state. The possibility of them governing again is frightening.

ISAW

Revolution9 wrote: »

Hopefully some young, fresh, uncorrupted and honest TD who most of us are not yet aware of on a national level.

Why? FG didnt do that! They elected Enda who was in the Dáil since the 1970s.

And FG have so many new TDs but they still stuck with tried and tested ones for the shadow cabinet.

At least with FF unlike FG people have the option to vote for the known long term TD or the
other runners. FG usually aren't running extra candidates. Now if every sitting FF TD or minister even lost their seat to the other FF runner you might have a point.

ISAW

kincsem wrote: »

I would prefer to see them disbanded and proscribed as an enemy of the state. The possibility of them governing again is frightening.

why? There has been sine the late 1980s long running FF administrations and excluding the odd brief interlude by FG/ Lab. Before that a FG administration in the early 1980s doubled the national debt and raised spending and debt to about 130 per cent of GDP. the EU and IMF are in Ireland to get Ireland back to the Maastricht Treaty level of 6 per cent. As it is the "meltdown" under the current FF led administration is something like 50 per cent of GDP at the wildest imagined levels which is still less than half the level of the 1980s.

the point is if FG did that and twenty years later had one of their best performances ever why couldn't FF say not be expected to get say 80 seats in an election in say fifteen years time?
FG are not proscribed why should FF be?

kincsem

No__Government____________From / To____Years___Start___Finish___Incr___% / year

1___Sinn Fein_______________1919 / 1922___4________________________+%
2___Cumann na nGael_______1923 / 1931___9______3___40___37___+137%
3___Fianna Fail______________1932 / 1944___13___40___101___61___+12%
4___Coalition________________1945 / 1950___6___101___227___126___+21%
5___Fianna Fail______________1951/ 1952____2___227___310___83___+18%
6___Fine Gael_______________1953 /________1___310___354___44___+14%
7___Fine Gael/Labour________1954 / 1956___3___354___489___135___+13%
8___Fianna Fail______________1957 / 1972__16___489___1644___1155___+15%
9___Fine Gael/Labour________1973 / 1976___4___1644___4050___2406___+37%
10__Fianna Fail______________1977 / 1980___4___4050___12945___8895___+55%
11__Fine Gael/Labour________1981 /________1___12945___14816___1871___+14%
12__Fianna Fail______________1982 / _______1___14816___18274___3458___+23%
13__Fine Gael/Labour________1983 / 1986___4___18274___30085___11811___+16%
14__Fianna Fail______________1987 / 1988___2___30085___31525___1440___+2%
15__Fianna Fail/PD___________1989 / 1992___4___31525___36006___4481___+4%
16__Fianna Fail/Labour_______1993 /________1___36006___37111___1105___+3%
17__Fine Gael/Labour_________1994 / 1996___3___37111___38966___1855___+2%
18__Fianna Fail/PD___________1997 / 2006___10___38966___37559___-1407___+0%
19__Fianna Fail/Green________2007 / 2009___3___37559___75152___37593___+33%

The present administration's figure will be higher at the end of 2010.
The % increase is a simple (increase / no of years / opening balance).

t0mm13b

If there is no one worth their salt then just what is the point in electing a "someone" who has zilch credibility?.... we voted the gombeens into power... let's not forget that and learn that lesson - soldiers of destiny/republican party my eye...

What chance do we have for a fair democracy if those who throw their hat in the ring for leadership and to see us ride out the storm, that has zero credibility...?

It has to be a business person with a brain for business and economics, with no political clout or influence tied in or aligned with any party... not lawyers, senior counsel, or barristers... or even solicitors....or those that come from political lineage...

It has to be someone ...

Michael O'Leary anyone?

Revolution9

ISAW wrote: »

Why? FG didnt do that! They elected Enda who was in the Dáil since the 1970s.

Exactly. FG didn't get new blood and failed to win the leadership battle against Kenny and look how poor they are doing in opinion polls. They should be more popular than ever, but in reality they are losing a lot of ground to Labour.

Same old civil war old guard type leading the party. They, like FF, need modern politicians running the party.

Run_to_da_hills

I don't think it will make any difference who will be the next Fianna Fail leader because hopefully the party will not get within an asses roar of the Dail for a long time.

Sponge Bob

He who was not on the podium on monday night, Micheál Martin, shall be leader. Leader of what though ??

Laminations

Hanafin and Martin have some cheek. After presiding over the collapse of the country they think they have the credentials to lead FF through a period of much needed reform? It should be the end of the line for everyone of the cabinet- the end of their political careers. The idea that you can sit as part and parcel of this mess and then expect a promotion to party leader! If FF are serious about reform and rediscovering their purpose then they need a cabinet clearout and a young member entrusted with leadership, one willing to admit the failings of FF and apologise to the country

Krusader

Sponge Bob wrote: »

He who was not on the podium on monday night, Micheál Martin, shall be leader. Leader of what though ??

He was on the podium, he was to the left of the screen

Can't see Hanafin getting it , she's a primary school teacher for God's sake, who has a teaching job waiting for her if she is unelected

JP Liz V1

tfitzgerald wrote: »

Micheal Martin would be my choice and while not a follower of ff I don't think even at this stage you can bury FF I think they will be back .

+ 1 on Micheál Martin

thebman

I think they should just go away. In fact, I will vote for them to go away, can we have an election on that or would there be any party left standing :P

oncevotedff

later10 wrote: »

So my question, to Fianna Fáilers in particular, is who would you like to see succeed Brian Cowen to the leadership and - one might suggest - the recovery of the party??

Silvio Berlusconi. We need some cheering up.

Leiva

P. Breathnach

There is a coterie in Fine Gael who would happily give them Enda Kenny to help them through their difficulties.

deise go deo

Willie O'Dee?

He is one of the few safe bets for re-election,
He has held a ministerial post(And not done too bad at it)
He is not associated with the parties economic failures.

ardmacha

Willie O'Dee?

He is one of the few safe bets for re-election,
He has held a ministerial post(And not done too bad at it)
He is not associated with the parties economic failures.

he's also supporting the Movember campaign by sporting a 'tache.

deise go deo

ardmacha wrote: »

he's also supporting the Movember campaign by sporting a 'tache.

Indeed, He is however the only well know FF'er I can think of that dosent immediatly provoke a gag reflex

Revolution9

deise go deo wrote: »

Indeed, He is however the only well know FF'er I can think of that dosent immediatly provoke a gag reflex

You better gag, or Willie's gonna get ya

Revolution9

Willie O'Dea blatantly lied about making defamatory comments about a Shinner's brother running a brothel.
We've had enough liars run Fianna Fail since the days of Haughey.
O'Dea is more of the same. FF need new blood.

deise go deo

Revolution9 wrote: »

You better gag, or Willie's gonna get ya

AH ---->

oscarBravo

Thread closed, since the stand-up brigade couldn't leave it be. Might be worth revisiting when there actually is a leadership contest.