How the country voted as majority of seats declared - Results suggest that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s coalition is set to continue

Ireland has proved a partial exception to the anti-incumbent mood in elections around the world. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, which have dominated Irish politics for a century, remain in the driving seat, though their combined share of the vote has declined to just over 40%.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been rewarded by voters who believe they have managed the economy well. Buoyed by strong corporation tax receipts, Ireland is running a budget surplus of at least €23 billion (£19 billion). As a result, all parties have committed to substantial increases in public expenditure, both current and capital.

Ireland’s complex system involves voters ranking candidates by preference - meaning ballots need to be counted several times, which can take days. | ITV National News

Vote counting in Ireland's general election gets underway on Saturday (November 30, 2024) with an exit poll indicating a tight finish between the three main parties. After voting concluded on late Friday (November 29, 2024), an exit poll indicated that pro-Irish unity party Sinn Fein were leading with 21.1% of the vote.

The three main parties were deadlocked in an exit poll after voting finished on Friday. Counting starts on Saturday morning, but could take several days due to Ireland's system of proportional representation.

Michéal Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil, is the frontrunner to be the next taoiseach (Irish prime minister).

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has said it is "too close to call" how many seats his party will win in the Irish general election. Exit polls suggest a close contest between the three major parties.

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The final seats in the Irish general election are expected to be filled later on Monday. Only a small number of seats separate the three major parties with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael best placed to form a coalition government.

Counting is underway for the second day after Ireland’s election. The early results show the historically dominant parties have done enough to remain in government as a Coalition. Ireland Prime Minister Simon Harris says his party “will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead.