The debate between Mr Ahern and Mr Kenny showed, if ever anyone doubted it, that it was between two deeply conservative leaders. This is often hidden by the Irish names of the parties. In European terms how could you label them? This is my attempt.
Parties
Fianna Fáil: Conservative (populist)
Fine Gael: Conservative
Progressive Democrats: Neo-Conservative
Sinn Féin: Conservative (populist)
Labour: Social Democrat
The Greens: Liberal (Conservationist)
Socialist Party: Socialist
Independents: mostly Conservative
How about:
FF – Right (populist)
FG – Centre Right
PD – Hard Right
SF – Socialist (populist)
Labour – Social Democrat/Left liberal
The Greens – Liberal (conservationist)
Socialist Party – Socialist
Independents – mostly conservative
Or how about:
FF – Centre Right
FG – Right
PD – Neo-Liberal
SF – Centre Left
Labour – Social Democrat
Greens – Liberal
SP – Socialist
Independents – too varied to group
Actually, when you think about it, a hybrid called FFFG would be perfect.
An Pharti Coimeádach? The Irish Conservative Party. That would be a big step forward, but I doubt if the FFs and FGs and indeed the PDs who
think that way would have the bottle to label themselves as such. A lot of people who vote for them now would be shocked to think of themselves as right wing or conservative.
I see that no one agrees with me that SF are conservative. As for myself, I can’t figure out how a party whose name means *Ourselves” could be socialist.
For me, SF’s anti-privatisation and its support of re-distribution through higher taxes on the rich puts it in the Left camp.
But many of its social policies are Centrist.
Though a spell in government, north and/or south, might well see it heading in the Conservative direction you mention Philip.
I agree that they’re definitely not Socialist.
William: was that you I heard on Marian Finucane this morning?
Fergus and Philip:
I vacillate between thinking that we should take Sinn Fein’s rehetoric at face value, and thinking of them as fascist. The nationalist element seems to me to run counter to any claims of socialism. Parties have moved from a conservative nationalist position before. (The thought, however, of a combination of FF and SF is enough to drive me to emigration.)
At the moment, I go with Fergus: SF is on the left. Time will tell.
Yes, that was me on Marian Finucane’s show.