Which party will you give your #1 preference to in the upcoming European election

Brussels Sprout

I know there's a thread about this already but it badly needs a poll (Mods feel free to merge this with that if possible)

Due to only having 10 choices I've had to lump some of the smaller parties together (If your chosen party is lumped in with some other parties that you don't particularly like then choose that grouping anyway - it's not an endorsement of all of them)

Furze99

You could have put Labour & Soc Dems together as birds of a feather.

Meanwhile Independent Ireland and Aontú might be more different beasts..

mikethecop

Jesús the options are …. not good . are they

reactadabtc

FG will be getting my first preference followed by the Greens, FF.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146207#Comment_122146207

Funny you should say that. I did actually consider those exact splits, especially since I cannot see Labour or Soc Dems getting close to winning a seat whereas both Ind Ireland and Aontu could win seats. However if I had split them out then I'd probably have had to split I4C out, for similar reasons and I didn't have enough spaces for that. In the end I just went by the largest parties in the current Dail.

Independent Ireland and Aontu are both courting the same "You can vote for us if you care about immigration but couldn't stomach voting for the far-right" vote so it's not the worst grouping either.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146263#Comment_122146263

Well I might have clicked Independent Ireland but I didn't as they are grouped with Aontú. Not that I wouldn't agree with much of what Peadar says on many matters, but fundamentally that party is pretty socially conservative on well known issues. Which makes them difficult to vote for. So I clicked Independent.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146295#Comment_122146295

Hmm ok. I've updated the instructions in the OP to make it clear for others that you're not necessarily endorsing all of the parties in a grouping if you happen to only like one.

Ah well it's not the end of the world. It's not like this is all very scientific anyway.

Galwayguy35

Poll should be public.

arctictree

I'll do my usual and give some mad independent my first preference, the bigger parties will be near the bottom…

L1011

There's only one possibility of unseating Von Der Leyen, which is getting MEPs elected to support the PES spitzenkandidat. No other spitzenkandidat has a chance.

While you'd assume any Soc Dem MEPs would join PES; the party are not currently members. Labour are.

FF, Greens and SF are supporting no-hope candidates.

FG will not get a single preference as long as they remain in the EPP.

Back when the last major shift in group alignments happened, FG and FF somehow ended up in the groups that the other one should have been in; albeit FF would not fit in the EPP now.

whisky_galore

If it wasn't for the posters, you'd hardly know the Europeans were on at all. Not exactly setting the world on fire, is it?

The question for me, at least, is this — what advantage does it serve to vote in these elections?

In other words, what difference does it make? Not to me, but the average person on the street.

It doesn't seem to make any difference.

It seems nothing more than a "democratic-seeming" irrelevance. It will come and go, and people won't know why.

That's why I won't be voting, and probably never will.

Montage of Feck

As somebody who considers themselves leftwing but is against mass migration, Hamas and Russia I'm in a political desert with nobody to vote for.

3DataModem

I'll pick the one who is least lazy. Or none at all.

HalloweenJack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147350#Comment_122147350

"It doesn't seem to make any difference" until it does. I trust you won't be complaining in the future if you have problems with your CC or the EU given you have no interest in exercising your democratic right.

You might not get the result you want but you get a say. For a high frequency poster in this forum, I find it odd that you wouldn't vote when you clearly have plenty of strong opinions.

Nice go at undermining democracy, though.

ToweringPerformance

1. National Party
2. Aontu
3. Independent

Quantum Erasure

Ming Flanagan number one, after that I don't have a clue

ELM327

I will probably give a 1st to the NP, following up with FG 2 and FF 3.

Can't see the NP getting elected but this is my protest vote that there isnt someone that better suits my ideals.

RonanG86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148106#Comment_122148106

Not sure fascists are the best option for a "protest vote" to be honest mate.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146214#Comment_122146214

Loads of options…..

Are many of them good is the question?

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148053#Comment_122148053

Really? what has the guy done since he has been elected?

Seems to disappear and only pops his head up when he wants another few handy years of pay roll. Could be wrong on that but haven't seen him do anything

Well apart from rubbing his legs live on video call

HalloweenJack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148106#Comment_122148106

Voting for fascists as a protest vote is idiotic, even more so when your two and three are going to establishment parties. Not much of a protest if they will still benefit in the likely event the NP candidate doesn't reach the quota. I really wonder about some posters' understanding of how elections work in Ireland.

Either vote independents, spoil your vote or don't bother. Voting for the likes of NP just emboldens them.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148106#Comment_122148106

Protest votes don't really work because if loads of people do it then you end up with some plonker representing you. Look at last election from some areas which got totally burned with the protest vote

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146295#Comment_122146295

Agree with this. Both have Iona type Catholic religious ideas but Aontu seen much worse.

RonanG86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148199#Comment_122148199

I appreciate boards isn't necessarily as reflective of broader Irish society as it was let's say 10 years ago, but looking at the numbers on the poll currently, there would appear to be a fairly respectable chance someone from the National Party would be elected. So the logic of "they won't get elected anyway, so it's fine lol" is somewhat less than airtight.

If people want to vote for fascists, they really need to understand that yes there is a possibility that their vote will get the fascist elected.

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148148#Comment_122148148

What have any of them done? I couldn't even tell you who the other midlands/ northwest MEPs are

https://x.com/lukeming/status/1638197494201892865

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148330#Comment_122148330

So why would you vote him back in if he has done nothing?

Nt sure what the tweet is providing? he is saying he is doing something but achieved nothing?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148053#Comment_122148053

The man who became an MEP, then went silent to rake in the easy cash that his position earns.

Clare Daly, him, and that other clown, Mick Wallace, are laughing at the people who voted them in to cushion their now comfortable lifestyles.

They don't give a damn about voters, they just say what they think the voter base wants to hear.

How anyone can vote for them in these elections is beyond me.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147845#Comment_122147845

Interesting to see which posters openly admit to voting Nazi. 😂

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148625#Comment_122148625

Who would you suggest one votes for in Europe given that all MEPs are paid the same money and are entitled to claim the same level of expenses but are not r will not be cushioning their 'comfortable lifestyles' as you put it? Genuinely intrigued to see who you're suggesting.

MFPM

The results so far are entirely predictable given the content of various discussions here on the elections and migration. T

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148717#Comment_122148717

They're all paid the same, but some are no better than grifters.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146821#Comment_122146821

I chose to make it private since voting in real life is private (yes I realise that everyone on this site is using an online identity but even so I wanted them to feel free to express their true opinion).

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148736#Comment_122148736

You didn't answer my question, you simply repeated the same point. So let's try that again, 'some' are allegedly no better than grifters who do you think are/will be different and why?

StoutPost

Like another poster I won't click an Aontu button, but I will be voting for Ciaran Mullooly and Independent Ireland. Mostly down to two personalities being involved with the organisation, Michael Fitzmaurice and Eddie Punch. In the last two EU Parl elections I have voted for Luke Ming Flanagan.

My biggest concern is EU regulation over-reach threatening my family livelihood and heritage. Fitzmaurice and Punch understand this and are able operators.

Previously I voted for Ming, and despite comments on here, he has done good work on a fairer distribution of Common Agricultural Policy funds. While not solely responsible for this effort, he has made important contributions. I held my nose as regards some of his views and his relationship with wallace and daly.

Now that the rubber has met the road with the russian invasion of Ukraine, having had it out with him privately and publicly we are holding positions at odds with each other. The other major reason I won't vote for him this election is his support of EU policies such as the Nature Restoration Law. The NRL is from my pov as a farmer a land grab clothed in a cosy title. Farmers have had previous experience of "benevolent" policies like Natura2000, and I may invoke the George W. Bush fool me once quote here.

Prior to that I would have been an FG voter. However both FG & FF have enabled the Green Party to go into Government and enact their policies which massively affect my business.

There are no parties which I have voted for in the past that did not contain personalities or policies I didn't like or agree with. I have no illusions Independent Ireland will be different in that regard. But I believe in voting, so to quote a line from Master and Commander "One must always choose the lesser of two weevils".

Scar001

Michael McNamara No1.

And stop at that.

Then head for a few pints.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147350#Comment_122147350

Your political hero was only ever able to get elected in "these elections" and would have been irrelevant otherwise.

jmayo

As I have said on other threads it is marvellous how often we are being told, often by those supposedly independent of party allegiance, that voting for independents or any of these new conveniently labelled fascist type parties is of no use.

In locals it is because it appears only established party connected politicians can do a job for you, whereas at the same time they have absolutely no influence on major policies which are set at national level so they shouldn't be lumped in with party's TDs.

Which is it, they have influence with state and government or they don't?

BTW if they have influence then they are also at fault for a lot of the current mess.

Now with Euros we are getting a similar slant that voting for independents and non established party candidates is of no use since they will do nothing as opposed to the connected party ones, but they are not connected at all when it comes to represent Irish peoples interests either at national or EU level.

Again which is it, have they influence or not?

It is considered stupid by some to vote for these independents, but not at all considered stupid to continue to vote for the established party candidates that are not now representing the views of a sizable chunk of the people whether that is locally or in Euro.

Lads ye are engaging in some amount of mental gymnastics to try con the electorate.

And it is patently obvious it is squeaky bum time for ye.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149699#Comment_122149699

This isn't solely directed at you, but anyone only voting for 1 or 2 preferences is a mostly wasted vote. If you do not vote most or fully down the ballot, your vote is not having the full influence it could.

It could be the difference between the candidates you don't like being elected or not.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149811#Comment_122149811

In this exact example it may not be a wasted vote as it's quite possible that McNamara will either get elected to the final seat or will be the last candidate eliminated meaning lower order preferences never come into play.

I get what you are saying though. If someone were to instead give their #1 preference to the National Party candidate and leave it at that then yes that would be a total waste of their lower order preferences that would certainly have been activated had they made them.

Personally, I always give everyone a preference.

HalloweenJack

The truest form of protest vote would be to spoil it.

Independents are something of a protest vote as they are non-aligned (in theory) and at local level they can actually make a difference, more so than at national or European.

As the main opposition party, SF would make sense as they are more likely to actually get people in and, therefore, the protest vote would actually serve a purpose.

Voting for tiny extreme parties is not a smart protest; you are endorsing their policies and only encouraging them.

Anyone expecting party members to do anything other than what HQ wants are only kidding themselves, especially in the case of FF and FG. We've had a hundred years and know exactly what the story is with them both.

All this talk about politicians being out of touch with their constituents is quite an exaggeration, simply because they keep getting voted in. They are the ones your neighbours are choosing. You'd be better off trying to influence them over the politicians. To suggest politicians who have reached the quota don't represent the public is to suggest something improper is going on.

wazzzledazzle

I bought a house last year and forgot to update the registrar, so my first choice of Independents has now changed to Fianna Fail who i know personally.

Come the "real" elections it'll probably be either Independent or Sinn Fein

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149811#Comment_122149811

It's not a mostly wasted vote at all. I've been voting for a long time and the furthest I've ever gone down a ballot paper is 4 but for the most part I vote 1 and 2. I never have and never will vote for anyone representing FF or FG and I wouldn't vote for the array of new parties from the outwardly racist right to the 'concerned' about migration types in Fitzmaurice's vehicle so giving them nothing is influencing the outcome as they can't benefit from my vote.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122150251#Comment_122150251

If a constituency is 4 or 5 seater and you only cast 3 preferences, you are wasting the full potential of your vote.

You can try to rationalise it any way you want but when you have no more transfers even though there are still candidates in the running, other people's votes are having more of a say in who does and doesn't get elected than your vote is.

It could be the difference between an independent getting elected or a FF/FG candidate

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149973#Comment_122149973

You have three days to update still, can be done entirely online

https://checktheregister.ie/en-IE/

Galwayguy35

Midlands North West won't go too well for the Soc Dems, Lab or the Greens.

Rural voters don't like that crowd.

mikethecop

Hard to understand how someone could vote for Daley or Wallace , pair of quisling traitors to their country. 100 years ago we would be debating if they should be hung or shot

ming is a novelty act that ended up in europe after the people of galway got sick of the bag of weed off him and wanted rid ,

remember when he used to be on rte panel shows giggling away to him self stoned and saying nothing ?

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122151222#Comment_122151222

'Traitors', 'shot', 'hung'...interesting in the current environment to be agitating for violence against democratically elected politicians you disagree with but then again you seem to have a penchant for violence if I remember your comments in the George Nkencho discussion.

mikethecop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122151496#Comment_122151496

you must be very sensitive if that triggered you lol its a very valid historical reference to traitors like those two actual literal convicted criminals and current putin/al assad mouth pieces

consorting with dictators and terrorists is a poor way or representing the irish people

clarify what you mean about other threads please

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122150926#Comment_122150926

Who do rural voters like, out of interest?

Farmers get plenty of subsidies from the current govt which makes alot of unviable businesses sustainable.

That must be a plus for farmers, although I appreciate not everyone rural works in that industry, of course.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122150926#Comment_122150926

MNW contains Kildare, Meath, Galway City, Drogheda and Mullingar-Athlone; all of which have been known to vote for left wing non-SF candidates.