Ireland's two main parties were tipped on Sunday to rotate the premier's office between them in a new government as election results suggested they would need a third or fourth coalition partner to stay in power.
Votes were being counted for a second day with all first preferences counted by Sunday afternoon, amid signs that current ruling parties Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will fall short of the 88 seats needed for a majority between them. Ireland's ranked-choice vote system can take days to produce a final result.
The two traditional rivals were narrowly ahead of left-wing nationalist party Sinn Fein in the popular vote. Unwilling to work with the party due to historical and policy differences, they are likely to need the backing of smaller parties after support collapsed for their previous Green Party allies.
Simon Coveney, a former foreign minister and deputy Fine Gael leader, said the two parties would “talk with an open mind” to Labour and the Social Democrats, who were on course to gain votes. He said a third or fourth coalition partner might be “more stable” than working with assorted independents.
All four parties in the frame take a broadly pro-Palestinian position in the Israel-Gaza war and supported Ireland's decision to recognise a state of Palestine in May. Their manifestos call for sanctions to prevent trade with Israeli-occupied territory, under legislation that was delayed by the election.
By Sunday afternoon, all first-preference votes had been counted, showing turnout at a 100-year low of 59.7 per cent. Fianna Fail was on 21.9 per cent, Fine Gael on 20.8 per cent and Sinn Fein on 19.0 per cent. Many seats were still redistributing ranked votes, with only 60 out of 174 seats allocated.
Job swap
Mr Coveney said it would be a “very difficult proposition” for Fine Gael to agree to a coalition without the role of taoiseach, or prime minister, being rotated between the two major parties. They previously carried out a job swap in 2022 when Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar took over from Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin.
Mr Martin hinted on Sunday that there would be no swift resolution, saying coalition talks “took a long time” after the last election in 2020. Asked about Mr Coveney's comments on a potential job swap, the Fianna Fail leader said: “Is Simon acting as a mediator now or what? Look, it is all for another day.”
“There’s very serious challenges facing the country and we’ve got to keep the country right and put the people before ourselves and before parties,” Mr Martin said. Asked if there was trust between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, he said: “I think there’s capacity to get on.”
Mr Coveney predicted that Fianna Fail would win about 48 seats with Fine Gael on about 38. He said the narrower margins in the popular vote were an “important mandate that certainly Fine Gael will carry into any discussions”.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the party had “broken the political mould” but it appeared to have little prospect of forming a government after once leading polls. Current Taoiseach Simon Harris, the leader of Fine Gael, said Ireland had “not seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it”.
Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both have ruled out working with Sinn Fein despite Ms McDonald's efforts to modernise the party once seen as the political wing of the Irish Republican Army. They also clashed over policy during a campaign in which housing and the cost of living were prominent issues.
Fine Gael also fell back in the polls after enjoying a “Harris hop” when Mr Varadkar made way for the new taoiseach in April. Mr Harris's campaign was beset by slip-ups such as a viral video in which he snubbed a care worker who raised concerns about the government's disability policy.
The war in Gaza also played a role in the run-up to the election. Ireland's parties agree on the need for a ceasefire, but some say the government's response has fallen short, particularly after delaying the contentious bill that would effectively ban trade from Israeli-occupied settlements in the West Bank.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
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South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
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Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
