Wales rocked the power of neoliberalism yesterday.
Ireland might also do so today. As the FT has noted:
Ireland looks set to elect a hard-left independent as president on Friday, dealing a blow to the two parties that have dominated Irish politics for a century after their own campaigns for the figurehead role backfired.
Catherine Connolly, a 68-year-old independent legislator and vocal defender of Irish neutrality, has a commanding lead in the race.
The former barrister and clinical psychologist has blasted the EU's military build-up in response to Russia's war in Ukraine, saying the bloc “has lost its moral compass” and that German rearmament spending was reminiscent of the 1930s.
The message, if it is fulfilled, will be somewhat like that from Caerphilly. The two major Irish political parties that have dominated its politics since 1922 have become profoundly neoliberal, intensely conservative and anti-democratic in their desire to hold anyone but themselves out of power so that the status quo in the country might be maintained for the Irish elite, which most definitely exists.
Past Presidents have rocked the boat - usually very successfully in recent years - albeit in a role that is more symbolic than official, but this move may be significant. The Irish electorate might be saying they are fed up with being taken for granted. In particular, they may well be expressing their annoyance that the largest party in the country - Sinn Féin - is now perpetually held out of power by coalitions between the traditional parties, and that they will no longer tolerate this.
However it is looked at, the demise of neoliberal thinking appears to be on the horizon. We can live in hope.
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99% of those voting in these elections have never heard of neoliberalism. You are deluded but i suppose delusion keeps you going.
They might not have heard of it – but they have seen its destructive consequnces. You are the one suffering the delusions.
I’m sure the abuse you receive is probably much worse than the above comment, but do your best to ignore such people, and please keep informing us as your blog is invaluable.
I trash most of it instantly the moment I realise that its intention is to abuse.
Very good news from Ireland and Wales. Let’s hope that the rest of the British Isles familiarise themselves with the delusions of neoliberalim and vote for parties and candidates who can offer a better alternative especially now that Thatcherism has become completely discredited with the disastrous privatisation of water, gas,electricity,raill and Royal Mail.
Fraya makes a point. I was in Ireland (County Tipperary) at the time of the riots in Dublin last year and previously and had to deal with family members who were wound up by the immigration issue there – it was far from pleasant and it is dragging on.
However, there was also frustration with how Sinn Fein was being held back present too – that there was political manoeuvring to keep them out and don’t think that that was far wrong. So many people will not be able to name Neo-liberalism Fraya, but they will know how it is hurting them. But that source of pain must be given a name.
There are a lot of angry pissed off people in Ireland – a country much smaller than mainland UK. I will keep my fingers crossed – I was mightily impressed by how Ireland dealt with Catholicism’s child abuse and Gaza.
Speaking as an English working class person, it was always a point of pride that we knew who it was who was shafting us. In an age of disinformation at scale through internet platforms and exploitation by capital through dodging funding all that awareness seems to have gone out the window. Pissed off people are now just manipulated and have their ire directed towards immigrants, teachers – whoever fits the bill at the time.
So, fingers crossed for Ireland, as I said.
I’ll join you, doing that
I wonder if this is a fore taste for things to come & the election of a SF government. I do hope so. That said, if it happens they will face a pile of problems.
Oh & I do like the combo: “former barrister and clinical psychologist” – I’d pay good money to see her forensically cross-examining e.g. Starmer – I don’t think there would be much left by the time she finished (or indeed her fellow countryman: McSweeney)
I agree, Mike, it would certainly be a wonderful to behold!
We must remember that the genius behind Labour ‘s current situation, Morgan McSweeney is from a family with very strong Fine Gael connections. Due to the state of the Irish “Uni-party” he is effectively an Irish Tory.
It’s the impact it would have in N Ireland that particularly interests me. I’ve long thought of NI as the San Andreas Fault of the UK and, if Catherine Connolly gets elected, it could well shift the Overton Window towards reunification.
I would caution against interpreting this election beyond what it is – a choice between two poor candidates who have not excited the Irish electorate. Let’s see what the turnout is like!
As for Sinn Féin – nobody is holding anyone back – it is called democracy! Once they tell a compelling story to the Irish electorate and can make a case for a coalition with other parties, they will be in government and will have earned their place.
Sorry – but you really do sound like a supporter of the Tory Irish establishment to me.