Sinn Fein surge in polls five days ahead of election
Irish nationalist party set for a ‘major breakthrough’ in Saturday’s poll

Sinn Fein has surged to the top of an opinion poll five days ahead of the election in Ireland.
According to an Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, support for the leftwing nationalist party is at 25%, ahead of the centrist Fianna Fail on 23%.
Despite a booming economy and falling unemployment, support for Leo Varadkar’s governing Fine Gael has also fallen to 20%.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald’s personal rating is also up seven points to 41%, as she became the most popular leader among all the main parties. Approval ratings for Taoiseach Varadkar and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin both fell to 30%.
The Guardian reports that the election looks “set to be a major breakthrough for the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army”. However, Sinn Fein is unlikely to emerge as the largest party because it is running only 42 candidates - around half the number being fielded by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.
The party would need to get almost all 42 candidates elected to the 160-seat chamber to give it a chance of emerging as the largest party, and analysts say such a result would be difficult because of Ireland’s electoral system.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Instead, says The Times, the election “will likely see Sinn Fein made political kingmakers, even though they eschew anything that smacks of the crown”. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail had previously played down talking to Sinn Fein in order to form a government.
The Washington Post says being the largest opposition party would be a “comfortable outcome for Sinn Fein” allowing it “to criticize government policy and grow its base of support”.
However, a senior Sinn Fein figure, David Cullinane, insisted on Twitter: “We are standing enough candidates to be serious contenders for government. The demand for change is heart lifting.”
A sign of that demand can be seen in a separate poll for The Times, which found that four in five Irish people now back a united Ireland.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
David Attenborough at 99: a 'radical' voice for climate action
In The Spotlight In his new film 'Ocean', TV's best-known naturalist delivers his strongest message yet
-
The Four Seasons: 'moving and funny' show stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey
The Week Recommends Netflix series follows three affluent mid-50s couples on a mini-break and the drama that ensues
-
Thunderbolts*: Florence Pugh stars in 'super-silly' yet 'terrific' film
The Week Recommends This is a Marvel movie with a difference, featuring an 'ill-matched squad of antiheroes'
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical