Saturday, November 23, 2024

Ireland’s Sinn Fein toughens immigration stance after election drubbing

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She will insist the new policy is based in “equality, anti-racism and human rights”. The new system will be one in which “fairness is paramount” and in which “local communities are treated with respect”, she will say.

Sinn Féin had a commanding lead in the polls for much of the last two years but their support collapsed in local and European elections in June.

It bled support to government parties and hard-Right independent politicians, which had outflanked them on immigration, which has become a major issue in Ireland.

Sinn Féin finished behind Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the dominant two parties in Ireland’s three-way coalition in both votes in a major blow to the party which harbors ambitions of government.

Its vote share fell to 12 per cent after long periods in recent years when its support was above 30 per cent .

Sinn Féin completed a review into the results last week. Ms McDonald said then, “I think there was a frustration among a section of our base that they weren’t being heard.

“And there was a belief that we didn’t have their backs and we didn’t reflect adequately, consistently and loudly enough the concerns that decent people have.”

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