Dumping party leaders is merely an exercise of democracy in action

FIANNA Fáil has essentially ousted its last five party leaders while serving Taoisigh. Recently, Vincent Browne was asking on TV3 whether this is indicative of something radically wrong within Fianna Fáil.

All seven Fianna Fáil leaders have left in midstream as Taoisigh with unfinished mandates. Éamon de Valera led the party to an overall majority in 1957 but he stepped down after two years as he was being encouraged to run for the Presidency. It was not a heave; he was just gently nudged. He had undoubtedly passed his political “sell-by date,” but he was so revered as the party’s founder, that he was left go in his own time. On reflection, however, there was little doubt that history has regretted that he did not go earlier in order to give to Seán Lemass more time as Taoiseach.

Although many regard Lemass as having been the best Taoiseach ever, he never had the luxury of an overall majority during his tenure. In 1965 Fianna Fáil missed by the narrowest of margins, winning 72 of the 144 seats.