Housing, immigration take centre stage as Ireland goes to the polls
As Ireland votes in crucial elections this Friday, the focus on housing, immigration and political accountability has run deep throughout campaigning. Voter discontent has set the stage for a potential shift in power among the country's long dominant parties.
This has been a record-breaking election year around the world, with voters deeming that something in their respective countries is broken and punishing incumbents.
That sentiment has resonated throughout Ireland's election campaign, where rival centre-right parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil took turns running the country for a century before forming a coalition administration in 2020.
If some voters are turning against them, the anti-politician mood is also hitting left-of-centre opposition party Sinn Féin, which not long ago appeared destined for power.
With 174 seats to be filled in the Dáil, Ireland's lower house of parliament, polls suggest voters’ support is split into five roughly even chunks – for Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, several smaller parties and an assortment of independents.
Housing crisis
The most pressing issue is the cost and lack of housing. Apartments and houses are expensive – prices rose by 10 percent in the year to August – and there are not enough homes to go around.
A housing commission set up by the government says Ireland has a “housing deficit” of up to 256,000 homes.
Harris is hoping to stay on as prime minister – or taoiseach – but his campaign has been weakened by gaffes.
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