Why Ireland Is So Left-Wing

Those who have lived in Ireland for any length of time will have noticed that the political consensus here is extremely left-wing.

First and most obviously, Ireland has no large right-wing populist party. There is not one elected member of parliament who could really be described as a nationalist or a right-wing populist. The two historically dominant parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, were traditionally considered centrist or nonideological parties, with Fine Gael leaning more right of center. Today, no one seems to know what the difference is between them or why they exist as distinct parties. Both have embraced a progressive consensus that is decidedly left of center. 

There is no alternative to be found in the four main opposition parties. Sinn Féin, Labour, the Green Party, and the Social Democrats are even further left than Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Members of these hard-left blocs make up 20 percent of Ireland’s representatives in the European Parliament (EP)—the highest percentage of any EP member.