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When politicians are attacked and abused, it is democracy that suffers

The far right’s tactics are destructive and have no respect for our political freedoms

Gardaí and anti-Government protesters during the first day back of the Dáil in Dublin's city centre in January. TDs and Senators always used to engage with protest groups and speak to the people assembled on Kildare Street, but not any more. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Theresa Reidy
Sat Mar 30 2024 - 07:00

The uncontrolled rage of a tiny minority is challenging some fundamentals in our democracy. A small number of politicians retiring from politics at the next election – including, most recently, Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon and Michael Creed – have pointed to the growing “toxicity” in politics. Some have been the victims of physical assaults and revolting personal abuse. When Leo Varadkar announced his decision to retire, there was speculation the abuse had taken its toll, though he has said it was “not a major factor”.

The venom in political life is directly affecting the people who are willing to participate in politics. Voter choice is reduced, talent and skills are lost to the political system.

The irony is that Irish politicians have always been close to their voters; it is one of the great strengths of the political system. Ignore the regular public pronouncements that politicians are “out of touch”, Irish voters have more contact with their national politicians than in most other European countries. For years, many academics and commentators, myself included, lamented that politicians were too “in touch” with their voters. We grumbled that the balance between national policy work and local political engagement was lopsided. And the balance did change a bit after the economic crisis, useful Dáil reforms were introduced, and some areas of policymaking improved a lot.

Now we see politicians withdrawing from important aspects of their constituency and engagement work for deeply concerning reasons.

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[ The Irish Times view on threats to politicians: an unacceptable attack on democracy ]

In the last decade, politicians have been assaulted and abused, forcibly detained, denigrated with a torrent of online abuse and threats of violence, their staff abused and threatened, their family homes targeted and their public constituency offices attacked. Initially, the abuse was targeted at a small number of Government politicians. Some in the wider political system shrugged and said they had it coming because of their policies during the financial crisis. Covid-19 lockdowns seem to have amplified the wrath of this small group and they emerged post-pandemic in a state of elevated fury that is targeted now at the whole system, all parties and almost all politicians, albeit with the caveat that women politicians are the recipients of the most vicious abuse. A miniscule but increasingly organised group are out of control.

Politicians have been forced to reduce their interaction with the public, their own voters. Constituency clinic times have been moved to day-time hours and locations have been changed to more public places. These are not huge impositions but many voters want to discuss sensitive personal concerns with their TDs and they may feel less comfortable doing so in a more public place. Some politicians have admitted they will not attend certain public events if they sense they might become unruly and there is a chance they could be left isolated. Security systems have been installed in the homes and constituency offices of politicians and at least one constituency office has been closed for safety reasons.

And at a time when parties must encourage more women into politics, the political environment, most especially online, has become a poisonous place and deeply unwelcoming for women.

For a small group, the anti-elite sentiment has metastisised, disaffection has turned to rage

Following the protest outside the Dáil in September 2023 when Independent and Sinn Féin TDs were assaulted, changes were made to the policing of all protests. Groups must now assemble farther from the grounds of parliament. TDs and Senators always used to engage with protest groups and speak to the people assembled on Kildare Street. People disagreed and forcefully presented their cases to Government and Opposition representatives alike but politics was open and civil. It still is for most people but the tiny minority are changing the ground rules for everyone. Politicians are at the coalface, but fundamentally Irish democracy is being traduced. This small clique of extremists have no respect for the democratic choices of Irish voters. Their rage matters more than your vote.

For decades, surveys have shown that satisfaction with democracy in Ireland is high. These views sit alongside more critical opinions people have about political elites. A lot of voters believe politicians are motivated by their own interests and not the common good. Many people are unhappy with how the State delivers supports and services, they want it to do more. Government satisfaction is affected and elections since 2011 have been very volatile with a lot of voters changing their preferences among different parties.

But for a small group, the anti-elite sentiment has metastisised, disaffection has turned to rage. Men and younger people are more likely to be in this group. In addition to hostile views about politicians and the political system, they often have antagonistic views towards minorities (Travellers, immigrants and LGBT communities). They hate difference and especially groups they perceive to have been protected or prioritised by politics in recent years. They believe strange conspiracy theories, and around the world, social media has facilitated their international meeting of mind. They are the far right. Their tactics are destructive and they have no respect for our political freedoms.

These problems are endemic across Europe. Ireland is in fact late to the far-right surge. And it is much worse in some places: a German local politician and two British MPs have been murdered by far-right extremists in the last decade, many Dutch local and national politicians have police protection.

There are no easy solutions. The vast majority of civil people, both politically interested and disinterested must assert their political freedoms and rights. Most importantly, they must vote for parties that support their fundamental freedoms. Incivility needs to be called out. Social media platforms must be required to remove abusers permanently. Political parties are critical, they must protect their own people in the first instance but they must assertively advocate for politics, stand up for our values and refuse to shift rightwards on issues such as immigration and housing to shore up their own support. Even with all of this, the experience across the world is that the situation may get worse before it gets better.

Dr Theresa Reidy is a political scientist at University College Cork

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