FF still sure of its right to rule

FIANNA Fáil is almost a unique phenomenon in world politics. In every election for well over 70 years, it has been returned as the largest party.

Only once has its dominance looked like wobbling a little — when Garret FitzGerald’s Fine Gael gouged into its margins in 1982.

There have been others. The Social Democrats dominated Swedish politics for decades, winning almost half of the vote between 1940 and 1988. The Institutional Revolutionary Party enjoyed unbroken rule in Mexico for 66 years. But both have had major setbacks in recent years. Fianna Fáil is unrivalled when it comes to the longevity of its dominance.