FG leaders water down grassroots role

FINE GAEL’S leadership has severely watered down proposals to give the party grassroots a majority say in the future election of the party leader.

Only 25% of the voting weight in future leadership elections will now be given to the 30,000 party members and just another 10% to councillors, under plans to introduce an electoral college system.

The vast majority of the decision-making powers, 65% of the voting weight, will remain with the party’s TDs, senators and MEPs, if the proposal is ratified at a special meeting this weekend.

Yet earlier this year, the Fine Gael national executive agreed the proposal to go forward would give a majority say of 55% to the members and councillors and leave only 45% to the parliamentary party. The plan will grant just 35% of the votes to councillors and members.

Fine Gael’s TDs and senators won a power struggle to retain the vast majority of the votes. In early October, FG national executive chairman John Delamere went to a meeting of the parliamentary party in Leinster House to outline the 55:45 divide and said 50:50 was his bottom line.

But he was sent back to the national executive with the message that the parliamentary party wanted a 70:30 split skewed in their favour. The national executive capitulated and a compromise deal of 65:35 was subsequently struck and will be voted upon at a special delegate conference in Athlone this Saturday.

The move towards involving the grassroots membership in the leadership selection process follows a commitment by Enda Kenny after he took over the mantle to become the party’s fifth leader in 15 years and a rank and file campaign in 2002 to include the members.