Leo Varadkar took office as Irish prime minister in 2017 boasting all the hallmarks of a transformative political figure.
The youngest leader the country had ever had. He was half-Indian, son of a doctor born in Mumbai, a significant talking point in a nation that was shaped by emigration not immigration. His Fine Gael party government was hailed for pursuing a radical agenda of liberal social reforms.
For all his advantages, Mr Varadkar is clinging on to power after Saturday’s general election. Exit polls showed the nation's three largest parties effectively in a dead heat, with a leftist surge putting Sinn Fein just ahead of Mr Varadkar's Fine Gael and the Fianna Fail party.
Lucinda Creighton, a one time colleague of Mr Varadkar as Europe minister in Fine Gael's first term in 2011, told The National that the party was both suffering a backlash from long-standing problems facing voters and a poor three-week election campaign.
“Things have gone wrong for him,” said Ms Creighton, who is a senior adviser to the Counter Extremism Project think tank. “The message honed in on the wrong issues and the party failed to read the mood of the nation.
“After so long in government it is to be expected that the party would slide in the polls but no one expected this slide to be quite so pronounced down to the level of 18 to 20 per cent.”
The last week of the campaign was enlivened by an Irish Times MRBI poll that showed Fine Gael lying third at 20 per cent behind its traditional — but fellow centre-right — rival Fianna Fail on 23 per cent and Sinn Fein, the paramilitary-tied left-wing party leading on 25 per cent.
For a leader who has overseen the fastest growing economy in Europe and possesses a deft diplomatic record in handling the dangers posed to Ireland by Britain’s exit from the EU, the collapse in support is puzzling. “I suppose the expression ‘eaten bread is soon forgotten’ applies,” said Ms Creighton. “Fine Gael went into this election with a historic diplomatic success and you could see why it thought it had a trump card. When the party came in we had the 2010 IMF bailout and the financial crisis and now by every measure the economy is the envy of Europe."
Sinn Fein’s rise has been powered by its strong messages on tackling the country’s lack of affordable new homes, expensive childcare and under-resourced health service.
“It's an election about change and that means the outcome is not going to be good for the outgoing government. It inherited a legacy of things to sort out in the wake of the bail-out, things that would take time to sort out, and it’s ran out of time,” said David Farrell, professor of politics at University College Dublin, told The National.
Mr Farrell also saw long-running traits in the conservative party come to the fore that have cost it support. “Fine Gael in power can get quite arrogant, quite quickly and certainly ministers are seen as more arrogant than they should be.”
All that plays into the anti-establishment mood in the electorate. “There’s a coterie of citizens who felt left behind and who have driven support for populism,” he added.
“The explanation for the polls is similar to that for support for US President Donald Trump or Brexit. The economy might be doing well but some people don’t feel the benefit, whether it’s in experiences of housing rents or homelessness or waiting on hospital trolleys.”
Before the election, the largest party by seats was set to be Fianna Fail and Micheal Martin its leader could face the dilemma of having to work in coalition with its republican nemesis. The question then posed is how that would fit with the open economic model that has rejuvenated the Irish economy.
In the canal-side district of south Dublin, the successes and flaws of the Irish economic model exist cheek by jowl. The headquarters of social media giants overlook the still canal waters. A Google maps screen contains Amazon, LinkedIn and many others in close proximity. Cranes tower over the steel-structured tower blocks under construction. Such is the influx of US multi-nationals, economists refer to Dublin as the 51st state.
The locals are largely welcoming of the jobs boom, contrasting the deprivation that went before in the docklands districts. Passing a Google office, Kevin O’Neill, a retired service worker, pointed to streets that were formerly a “no-go zone”.
“Now we have people bringing good jobs and money for families to live well,” he said. “Otherwise the children round here would have nothing but to turn to drugs.”
Caroline Morley, who lives in a council-owned property overlooking the canal, also welcomes new faces but she is one of those ready to vote for Sinn Fein for the first time. The two-party duopoly that has existed for the 100 years since the foundation of the Irish state has run out of steam. “We need mega-change,” she said. “The Northern (Ireland) record of Sinn Fein doesn’t phase me. We have to give them a chance to make a change. Otherwise it’s the same old, the rich getting richer and the poor getting the crumbs.”
The Sinn Fein candidate Chris Andrews is hotly tipped to take a seat in the Dublin Bay South constituency.
Campaigning with Mr Andrews on a public housing estate last week, Gerry Adams, the former Sinn Fein leader, drove home the anti-establishment message. “You know they don’t want people from communities like this to vote on Saturday because Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, their leaders don’t want change. So let’s put it up to them,” he declared.
A last-minute hiccup for Sinn Fein arose when Mr Adam’s successor Mary-Lou McDonald was confronted in a televised leadership debate with the role of a senior colleague in smearing a young man killed in an IRA-linked punishment beating in 2007. Ms McDonald fumbled the answer. Not for the first time Sinn Fein was hit by accusations of a ruthless disregard for the victims of terror in Northern Ireland.
If the mould of Irish politics does break when the results are revealed after Saturday's vote, the irony is that Mr Varadkar is almost certain to be the biggest loser. Ms Creighton said he was sure to be returned as an MP but that his leadership could come under pressure. “Certainly he will be back but if he will still be [party] leader will be determined by the scale of the losses.”
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
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Transmission: 9-speed auto
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Normal People
Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich
March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom
Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
Company%C2%A0profile
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
