Presidential Election 2025

Brexit was cemented the day of the first referendum. A second one was fantasy.

Yes a second one could have happened if Labour won in 2019. Corbyn didn't want it on the manifesto and was pressured into putting on. Wanna hazard a guess why Labour were battered. Yes it's because nobody wanted a second referendum.

I don't need to look anything up. I was there I lived it and I was a member of Labour throughout the whole thing. I was living in heavy Labour areas of London and everyone I knew in similar areas and we all knew a second referendum was pure fantasy. Campaigning for it was a disaster electorally.

Being an activist didn't sink Michael D and won't sink Connolly. Saying dumb sht about Germany or not rowing back on nominating Gemmo O'Doherty will sink her. You can be an activist an not a total idiot in front of a camera.

"His history of radical agendas and politics, his views on Israel/Palestine - his far left 'fantasy 2019' manifesto, and his total inability to appear like an alternative Prime Minister"

So why were they not a problem in 2017 ?

Why do traits Connolly shares with Michael D suddenly become a problem. It's not the activism or her style of left politics. It's that she just isn't that good a political performer at this level. Her only saving grace is all three kinda sick.

Because the Torys of 2017 appeared EVEN LESS stable compared to Labour at the time. May was caught between the sensible Pro Remain Tories who wanted a stable relationship with the EU, or a second ref. And the Pro Hard Tory Right brexiteers composed of careerist loons. The same bunch who came to power in 2019 btw.

Even with the above instability - he didnt exactly win the election? He gained some seats, which was admirable

Catherine Connolly has very little in common with Higgins. She has no political aptitude, and is basically an activist. In the middle of a Presidential Election, competing against two very low key candidates, she is setting fire to her campaign by attacking topics which she cannot possibly hope to have any effect on. Her views on Ukraine/Russia/NATO are laughable, and constitute everything that is wrong with the left today. She has a long history of attacking the EU, and these comments on Germany are just the lastest episode of this.

In my opinion, stating that Hamas should have a role in the future of Palestine, is 100% wrong. Whether she wishes to believe that or not, is her business; but as a presidential candidate she is open to huge criticism on this error alone. And it was an unforced one, which she had to know would be brought up again and again, as the campaigning gets underway.

Saying that the US is an Imperial power is wrong. Please understand I am NOT a fan of US Foreign Policy, and i realize how unstable the US is at present. But the US is not an imperial power on the same tier as Russia. The US is currently unstable due to hyper partisan polarization, and the current occupent of the White House. But saying the US 'Is as bad as Russia' - and we are talking words to that effect - is highly controversial at best - and very damaging to her credibility

Even if you proved that on actual beliefs, CC and Higgins are closely alligned - the radical difference is in temperment, and political aptitude. Higgins has it in spades. CC doesnt have any at all - clearly.

You might have the wrong poster there.

Again you mention the front line - are you willing to go & fight on it or is that just for other people & you can be borderline abusive on an anonymous Internet forum with a rapidly dwindling audience.

These people have a dogma, and facts do not intrude on their views.

I can't confidently predict the outcome. Since 1990 the Left has had a better score card in Presidential Elections, but have never led an Irish government. A lot of people who vote for the Left in presidential elections don't do so in General Elections.

The Left of course is 2-4 times as large now compared to the 1990s. But their voters are split between lots of parties, because they are hung up on ideological purity, except Labour which has had to compromise from coalitions with FF and FG.

I would not have voted for Steen but I feel if she got on the ballot, there would actually be a debate on domestic issues, rather than just Gaza. I agree with Connolly on Gaza, but so do FF, FG, Labour, SD, Greens. One of the reasons we have problems like housing is that our politics maybe attaches more importance to foreign policy, though I accept thats partly because of the importance of FDI and foreign trade to our economy.

I'm not a social conservative and I am a secularist. But I feel somewhat uncomfortable that a large minority of the electorate (maybe 20%) is not being represented. Thats not good for democracy.

I'm not sure you understand the point of a ceasefire if you think there should be concession conditions attached to it.