Presidential Election 2025

Id love a center left European Union coalition to win power in Brussels. I dont think its as important as beating FFG in domestic politics. Broadly speaking though, if our left wing could unite with the pro european branch of Social Democtraic parties, id be all for it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Alliance_of_Socialists_and_Democrats

These blocks are pro European, but are social democrats, and socialists.

Unfortunitely, very often, politicians like Daly, Wallace, and other members of the Activist Left, tend to join the more Eurosceptic Leftwing Bloc in the European Parliament.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Left_Alliance_for_the_People_and_the_Planet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_the_European_Left

Catherine Connolly, were she to sit in the European Parliament, she would be in the later grouping. Which, like it or lump it, is Eurosceptic.

I think there needs to be a debate on the left, probably across Europe, but certainly in Ireland. I for one, am pro-European Union, and left wing, and i dont see anything paradoxical about that. Love to know where others stand. But this is not a smear on Connolly. Quite honestly, if you asked her which bloc she would support, id be STUNNED if she didnt choose one of the Soft Eurosceptic Blocs. She is not alone in that, I think before brexit, you could certainly have grouped SF into the same groupings. Point of fact, they remain somewhat too associated with the more eurosceptic branch of European Left Wing Politics. But not so much as Connolly, Daly et al

All he seems to have achieved (Reddin) is to have his history regurgitated on Social Media and it's a history he might have being better not having brought up.

It is getting simpler and simpler for me to vote HH.

A shocking revelation GDG - like I said to liamtech when he revealed his support the right wing candidate, I'm just shocked it took you so long to declare it!

CC wants the SCC abolished

As a supporter of democracy and human rights and civil liberties of course she is and she's correct. There was never any justification for it but there certainly isn't now given technological advances for one.

is very anti EU

No, she just has a different view to the 'EU' that many on the right, doesn't make her anti - these reductive binary choices are tiresome, frankly.

Younger voters have no real clue how much of benefit the EU has been to Ireland, nor appreciate the importance of the SCC.

Patronising much? How have you gathered the data to support this contention and your use of the word 'importance' is subjective.

It is much easier to be idealistic when younger. But there is a cohort on the left Connolly included who never grew beyond that.

And more patronising comment….Who's being idealistic, where's this idealism?

How does one define 'never grew up' - that they don't agree with you, that they don't subcribe to your world view, that they may have a different economic view point than you, that they may have different life experiences from which they drew political conclusions?

Back to the start of my post, it's of no surprise you're throwing your lot in with HH, one can just hope that come the 24th of October a majority of those who exercise their franchise take a it more of a rounded view of the candidates and see through the thoroughly disingenuous media framing of CC during this campaign and vote for her, someone who actaully has something of merit and interest to say as distinct from 'I'm not a yes woman' HH 🙄

There seems to be two Green Parties. The first is the traditional Green Party. The second is the Social Justice types who ended up in the Greens after Labour imploded in 2016. Those are closer politically to Labour as is O'Gorman. There was a description a few years ago of the Greens being FG on bikes. It wasn't too far from the truth pre-2016. It is not surprising that some Greens would back Humphreys.

I actually had a discussion as Gaeilge re the two candidates last weekend. Odd experience, especially after a few pints.

One fella (from An Gaeltacht) was out and out for Connolly was horrified that I would even consider Humphreys as she didn’t learn Irish. And won’t learn it according to him. Called Connolly a kind woman. And called Humphreys a lier.

Another fella with fluent Irish, was unsure on Connolly re Russia etc. And a third fella quietly pointed out to me, if I used to vote Labour. I should go Connolly.

As for the EU the MEP’s are out of sight out of mind. There was some EU programme on Irish telly last night. Kelleher was on it I knew him (obviously)

But there was a FG MEP with glasses I never heard of. And don’t ask me to list off the EU broad political groupings, I would only be guessing.

So it is no wonder the younger voter wouldn’t pay heed to the EU. If the likes of me only know bits from Euronews. The younger voter’s knowledge will be even less.

I agree that the Irish language is a strong point for CC.

I spoke to someone a few moments ago and when I said I wasnt voting for CC they said "why" and I explained. I get the impression quite a lot of Irish people do not know about the controversies like the Ni Shonnain appointment, her positions on Russia/Ukraine etc.

Genuine question. And yes I do acknowledge that the US is not an innocent actor in the Israeli genocide of the past 2 years.

And if in fact that stop over is carrying arms or troops destined to help Israel kill more Palestinians then it should be nowhere near Shannon. Harris would be very duplicitous if he knowingly allowed that given his previous condemnation (rightly so) of Israel's behaviour.

We don't know what was on board that plane, and it's likely that it won't be made public. Harris is minister for foreign affairs and his judgement will have to be trusted on this. And if it's proven that the plane was carrying munitions etc. then the people of Wicklow are those positioned to displace Harris from his Dáil seat in 4 years time if they so wish.

It's a sideshow to the current debate on the presidential election and there are other threads for discussing it.