Irish Election 2024: Sinn Féin, Fine Gael, and Fianna Fáil in Tight Race, Coalition Talks Loom

Nov 29, 2024, 10:11 PM

The 2024 Irish General Election has concluded with a tight three-way race among the leading political parties. An exit poll conducted by Ipsos Behaviour and Attitudes for RTÉ, TG4, The Irish Times, and other media outlets shows Sinn Féin leading with 21.1% of first preference votes, closely followed by Fine Gael with 21% and Fianna Fáil with 19.5%. This result marks the second best performance for Sinn Féin since its inception, while Fianna Fáil has recorded its second worst result in history. The margin of error for the poll is +/-1.4%. The outcome suggests that forming a government will be challenging, with no clear path for Sinn Féin to govern without a coalition involving either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil. Prime Minister Simon Harris's party, Fine Gael, is in a virtual dead heat with Sinn Féin, making the result too close to call. The election results indicate a significant shift in Irish politics, with the combined vote share of the two historic parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, at just over 40%, their lowest ever. Additionally, 20% of second preference votes go to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with Sinn Féin at 17%.