Despite record levels of asylum seekers entering the State in 2024 and dozens of anti-immigration protests, the far right failed to return a single candidate in the general election, bucking a trend seen across Europe and the United States.
After moderate success in the local elections last June, there was some expectation that at least a handful of explicitly anti-immigration candidates would be elected to the Dáil.
More than 60 candidates who could arguably be classed as occupying the extreme right of the political spectrum ran. About half of those ran under the banner of the National Alliance, which consists of the National Party, the Irish People, Ireland First and several Independents.
Depends where you draw the line between right and far right, but it’s certainly good. We will still end up with a centre-right government most likely, perhaps a sprinkle of left in there to make it to the 87 seats required for majority. I am crossing my fingers that FF and FG don’t try to make up their difference with aontú / II / right indys.