Ireland’s Fianna Fáil unveils government formation plans

Ireland’s liberal Fianna Fáil will step up efforts to form a government by starting formal engagement with other parties, except the left-wing nationalist Sinn Féin.
Fianna Fáil won the most seats in the general election on 8 February, with Sinn Féin, the former political wing of the IRA, closely behind. Sinn Féin secured the most votes, but its total of 37 seats is one fewer than Fianna Fáil’s 38 seats in the 160-seat parliament.
Fianna Fáil’s leader Micheál Martin said that he held informal talks with the smaller Green and Social Democrat parties as well as some independent lawmakers. He added that he would name a negotiating team later on Wednesday, as his plans are to speak to smaller parties before Fine Gael, which is Fianna Fáil’s historic rival.
“In this general election, the Irish people sent a very strong message that they want a change of government and a new approach on housing, health, the cost of living and climate change”, Martin said, and added: “My team and I will be working very hard over the coming period to try to deliver this”.
Sinn Féin managed to successfully win the voters’ sympathies, promising to address the shortage of housing, rocketing rents and homelessness crisis, issues that Fine Gael was criticized for not solving.