When it comes to politics, we just don’t like going to extremes

Sinn Féin has hit a glass ceiling in Irish politics and this is one of the most interesting examples of how Irish voters do not like extremes. Sinn Féin should have made hay in these polls, given the collapse in Fianna Fáil’s support. Instead, it has lost its only European seat and has failed to add anything to its list of local councillors

MUCH has been made of a leftward shift in Irish politics based on the outcome of last weekend’s elections. The reality is that the move is more apparent than real. The bulk of the Irish electorate does not like extremes, of either the right-wing or left-wing variety, and will not vote for them in large numbers.

This is why the Progressive Democrats no longer exist on the right — not that the party was as right-wing as many liked to paint it — and why Libertas has gone out of business having failed its first test.