Presidential Election 2025

Seanad abolition being a major one; and there was a lot of suggestion of using the Fiscal Compact and Childrens Rights referendums as "a vote on the Government" on social media, including here - albeit they still passed.

The huge swings in council representation at the 2009 and 2014 locals showed them being treated as mid-terms for the Government also, rather than any realistic reflection of local politics.

There will absolutely be a substantial number of people who vote in this election as if it affects the Government. It won't, but that won't stop people voting like it does.

You won't at the end of the day, most people voted for MDH because of the support of the LP in his first election, and his second term due people deciding he was a nice old president to have, a continuation.

You may think you might but at the end of the day if FG are your party you'll vote Mairead all the way, and if your FF you vote for whom ever they put up. It just the natural flow of an election, you can see that back in 90 when Linehan top the poll after a disastrous election, again the 1997 election goes largely political, are you telling me Mary Bonetti wouldn't have made a good president? she still only receive the FG vote of the day.

You saying that people voted again the disestablishment of the Seanad because of the government of the day? Perhaps they did but that seems like an odd move. Neither were because refs are different to elections.

Of course locals are used partly as mid-term, your local councilor gets to vote in the Seanad elections. Look at the last UK locals.

As I say going on the polls any mid-term election would largely go to FF via transfers. Weather we like that or not. SF and FG will be runner up.

I am sure you will. Personally, as you know, I really want to vote for a former RTÉ member of staff!

Well voted for Martin McGuinness in 2011. Never voted for SF in Europe or DE. To me the Presidency should transcend politics. I had Michael D no2. He was almost designed for the presidency in fairness. But I am still not happy how Michael D. Moved from his more apolitical first term. To his VERY political second term.

Just because XYZ has a party label beside them does not necessarily make them a good candidate in my view.

All tosh.

Historical evidence of presidential elections shows us that party performance is very quickly irrelevant to the performance of the candidate once the campaign kicks off. The candidate becomes the story irrespective of their nominating block.

The most stark example of many being Gay Mitchell, 2011. Enda Kenny's FG achieved 37% in the general election of February 2011. Come November, Gay Mitchell managed all of 6.4% and finished 4th.

Your opinion is based on the unstinting loyalty of post civil war political adherence and is completely redundant in 2025.

MMcG will be perceived as the establishment figure, not always the best position to be in

Could stand to her though if CC (assuming she is Mcg's main opponent) can be convincingly painted as a fellow traveler of extremists & nutjobs…

Also I am not going by civil war politics I am going by the politics of the day, if all parties and an indo runs, you will large see 20% for the big 3, 15% for the left and 20% for the indo, though it will dependent on the candidates but I am happy to be proved wrong.

Realistically that is not going to happen and you would be lucky to have a candidate with all those criteria. Even Michael D. particularly adored in his first term, did not have all of those criteria I listed. He had a lot of them, but not all of them.

I will be giving each candidate scores based on Presidential debates etc as it is.

If each party put up a calibre of candidate of all those criteria in an hypothetical, scenario. Firstly I would be delighted, that means there would be a better chance of a great candidate. And secondly I would give each candidate a score out of 10 on the criteria listed. And vote no1 for the candidate that gets the most. No2 for the candidate that gets the second most etc.

I realise that most of the electorate won't think like me, but that is the way that I would do it.

I think many might put Mary McA in that list. TBH.

Higgins as an incumbent President got 55% of the vote with a turnout of 43%, the turnout for 2011 was 56%, he received 39% of the vote, remember FG and FF did not put forward a candidate as they felt he was their choice after 7 years in office (also they felt they couldn't win), while SF ran because they felt their should be a vote regardless.

Of those that voted 45% didn't vote for Higgins, while 57% voters didn't go and vote.

That's large down to the fact that the media loved them, you'd be hard pressed in 80s to see as much about Hillery in the Press. I remember Robinson in one publication having her Diary published each week. As I have argue he is a strong contender, as could Hyde.

As I say FF sat out the 2011 election and he was a continuation candidate in 2018, hence why IMO so many didn't vote.

In the years that have passed I am sure there are many would happily change their vote, I voted I admit initially from the view that he was a good minister for Arts, and in the second election due to him being in place. I realize now that these are not reasons.

I don't know that's that much better to be honest. But I would argue that 45% of people didn't vote for him, that's not really a landslide that he should have achieved, and this wouldn't have been a vote on the government as neither party ran.

Anyway I am taking a break from President Election until the results at which point I be back just to say to you all I told you so :)

It will be interesting to see who runs. hopefully it will be a good build, so far, its not looking great.

Within living memory, Sinn Féin were under government censorship, and FFG together had 80% of the popular vote.

Now they are the lead government party in waiting, FG are clueless (what do they actually represent) and FF are a branch of FG.

I'd say she is doing well.

Where did Labour ever suggest 'merger with SocDems' or insert themselves into that story? There was a long history of an actual working alliance with the SDLP for decades, until SDLP decided to fancy their chances with a larger party.

We can agree that both parties should stay well apart for now.