Strategic Retreat

at

Last night.

Leinster House, Dublin 2

Taoiseach and Leader of Fine Gael, Leo Varadkar, speaks to the media after the PP’s meeting in Leinster House, to discuss the results of the recent General Election and their poor performance in which they came in third behind SF. He stated FG were preparing to go into Opposition.

However…..

Fine Gael has left open the possibility of a grand coalition with Fianna Fáil despite its TDs being unanimous in their desire to spend the next five years on the opposition benches.

But Taoiseach Leo Varadkar did not seek – and was not given – a mandate to open negotiations with any party on the formation of a new government for the moment.

Senior party figures told the Irish Independent that they intend to push Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil as far as they possibly can before “entering the game”.

Meanwhile…

…even if Micheál Martin convinced the Greens, Labour and Social Democrats to support him for Taoiseach he would still be dramatically short of a Dáil majority.

At this point Fine Gael is likely to mandate an intervention from Mr Varadkar in a move that will be portrayed as saving the country from going back to the polls

Varadkar refuses to shut door on FF deal despite TDs’ anger (Irish Independent)

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

“In light of Leo Varadkar’s statement yesterday evening, the Social Democrats have taken the decision to cancel today’s proposed meeting with Fine Gael.

“It is clear to all that FG are now engaged in a game-playing exercise & we refuse to participate in what is essentially theatrics by FG.

“While it was always the case that we were unlikely to find much common ground with FG, we intended to honour our commitment of engaging openly with all parties. Clearly FIne Gael’s intention is to engage in shadow-boxing for the coming weeks & we’ve no interest in participating in such a charade.”

Statement from the Social Democrats this morning.

Soc Dems cancel Fine Gael meeting over ‘game-playing’ (RTÉ)

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22 thoughts on “Strategic Retreat

  1. Optimus Grime

    Well this position means that Fine Gael can’t lose any way it pans out – Go into opposition, well we said we were going to do that. Go into government, well this is a bonus of sorts.

  2. millie vanilly strikes again

    Nice to see the bollocking he received in the election hasn’t dented his arrogance.

    1. Rob_G

      Jesus – people give out about FG when they were in government. Now they say they won’t go into government – and people are still complaining!

      1. Robert

        Well if the vote is to be believed, they still got a fairly large segment of the vote, which didn’t transfer to the opposition, so besides your agog frustration, there is that.

  3. Spaghetti Hoop

    If they were banished and exiled to a remote slab of Arctic ice, they’d still give a press release on their plan for governance. Arrogant shower.

  4. bisted

    …looking increasingly like MaryLou will be proposed for Taoiseach and this will be passed due to abstentions from FFG…be interesting to see how the others vote…

  5. Dr.Fart

    ha. remember during the election they said if people want change they should vote for FG, the party that people wanted change from? Well this is a great example of them being unable to change because of who they are is in their DNA. They’re loving this. This is their favourite part of politics. playing stupid games.

    1. Hansel

      I see them as being quite similar to the UK’s Tories.
      And the thing is, this type of politicking (gamesmanship) actually tends to be quite successful for them.

      As you rightly say, this is in their DNA. They genuinely believe that they are the correct ones to run the country and that they do not need to change their approach.

  6. Áine

    This is a deliberate and premeditated tactic. They’ve over cooked the economy and they’re standing well clear while they watch it boil over in someone else’s hands. 5 years of saying we told you so and advancing the claim they’re the only fiscally responsible party in the state.

  7. V

    There are only *two TDs in the FG parliamentary party that I could point to with confidence and say that they’d be ok in opposition for the next few years.

    As for the remaining parties,
    Namely Sinn Féin and the newly enhanced groups (courtesy of the SF surpluses)
    They all know that if a Government is to come out of this election at all it has to include either an FF or an FG block plus the Greens or Labour.

    So please stop taking the weewee out of us with these merry-go-round of phoney statements, and pompous finger pointing at everyone else except yerselves.

    It’s demeaning to our Republic
    And it’s insulting to the Voters.

    FF and FG are playing ye, while ye’re all pretending to be more rightous and upstanding than everyone else.
    When this last week has proved ye’re all no different
    Ye won’t work with so and so
    Or so and so won’t talk to you
    Or the party says no
    Or they’re all against us
    Or tis up to them
    Or we’re considering our options
    Or tis all them Millennials fault

    Of course a Government can be formed
    Ye just don’t want it happening without ye claiming some absurd entitlement to be involved in its construction
    All 160 of ye

    Get back to work – elect a Ceann Comhairle
    And take on the responsibility ye all asked for when ye put yerselves on the Ballot

    It’s pathetic listening and watching to all the players, and to think that this time last year we were laughing at the carry-on over in Westminster.

    This is a time for Grownups
    Not free airtime whores

    Coveney and Bruton btw

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