Ups and Downs of FF and FG
Deaglán de Bréadún
The Fine Gael heave was great entertainment, but probably not very enjoyable for those directly involved. Curiously, Enda Kenny has emerged stronger than before and looks more like a plausible taoiseach than at any time since he took over as Opposition leader.
Now Fianna Fail have taken centre-stage. International opinion broadly agrees with what the FF-led government has done on the economy and Brian Cowen’s leadership has been widely praised abroad.
But at home, the punters are flocking to the Labour Party and Fianna Fail is facing a possible meltdown. Where there are two FF deputies in a constituency, the current mood of the electorate suggests there will be only one in the next Dail.
That mood could change but it is clear that some backbenchers are in a bit of a panic. They would clearly like to change the leader but that’s very hard to do when nobody else has expressed an interest in the job.
It’s a difficult time for “the lads” (and lassies). There must be days when some of these TDs wonder why they went into politics in the first place. Is it a drug?
