DUBLIN — Ireland’s government prepared for a whopping defeat and the country for more uncertainty as angry voters turned out Friday for a historic election triggered by the humiliating collapse of the “Celtic Tiger” economy.
The opposition Fine Gael party has enjoyed a wide lead during a campaign dominated by debate regarding how to rebuild an economy brought down by a property boom collapse, which in turn led to a bailout of Ireland’s failing banks.
The governing Fianna Fail party is bracing for a rout. It led the government through Ireland’s boom years in 1994-2007 and into the economic meltdown that ended up with a humiliating bailout from the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
But whichever party wins will find its ability to maneuver limited by the IMF and the bankers of Europe. Meanwhile, with unemployment at more than 13 percent, Ireland’s young and jobless are heading for ports and airports, and the nation is reeling from tax increases and public service cuts.
The opposition has used Ireland’s dire economic situation as a rallying call for change. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, 60, campaigned in northwestern Ireland on Thursday urging voters to “turn your anger into action.”
Ireland’s plight has inspired a lively contest with a record 566 candidates, including 179 independents, for the 166 seats in Ireland’s lower house in parliament, the Dail. Nearly 49,000 people have rushed to register to vote in recent weeks.
Turnout in the country was brisk Friday, running ahead of the 2007 election, national broadcaster RTE reported.
ap polls suggest that Ireland’s 3.1 million voters will usher in a new government led by the Fine Gael party, which until now has been the perennial runner-up to Fianna Fail.
The key question was whether Fine Gael could win the 84 seats needed for a majority in the Dail. Labor has bumped along near 20 percent, ahead of Fianna Fail. Sinn Fein, the Northern Ireland-based party that supported the Irish Republican Army, is expected to gain seats.
The Labor Party hoped to pile up enough votes to deny Fine Gael an outright majority in the Dail and secure Labor a place in a coalition government.
The votes will not be counted until today. Final results aren’t expected before Sunday.
