The most recent Irish general election took place on February 8th, and it ultimately emerged as the most divisive result since the turn of the millennium. There are multiple reasons for the contentious lead-up to this election, chief of which can be identified as the disillusionment that young adults have endured during the ten-year reign of Fine Gael, the centre-right faction of the Civil War parties.
This rejection of the status quo is representative of the generational divide that exists in the country, however, much to the dismay of those who voted for radical change, power was eventually handed over to Fianna Fáil, despite their public history of corruption among party members, and the Green Party, who briefly served as a beacon of hope to young environmentalists. Contrary to the widespread memory deficit in Irish politics, this coalition has existed before and is not remembered kindly, although one of the virtues of short-term voter memory is the collective belief that the Green Party could deliver on liberal environmentalist policies if they are to be given a second chance.
In the short lifespan of the current government, hopes and expectations of millennial voters have already been crushed following the revelation that not only did the leader of the Green Party sleep through a cabinet vote on raising the minimum wage from €10.10 per hour but he then voted against the motion.
The Green Party have also outlined their interest in applying a carbon tax upon family homes but not large business, which raises multiple questions surrounding the true ethics and agenda of the party — are the Irish people themselves expected to fund so-called green policies in the name of preserving big business, in a time when capitalist practices remain the primary force behind environmental destruction?
Writer: Alex Mulhare
Artwork: Zara Masood
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