Ireland Prime Minister Enda Kenny was re-elected as taoiseach on May 6 ending 70 days of negotiations allowing him to form a Fine-Gael-led minority government.
Kenny’s party, Fine Gael, won 50 seats falling 29 seats short of an overall majority in the 2016 general elections held on February 3 prompting negotiations with the main opposition party, Fianna Fáil, led by Micheál Martin.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil made a stunning recovery from a historical low of 21 seats in the 2011 general election to win 44 seats. Sinn Féin remained the third-biggest party with 23 seats.
A confidence and supply agreement was reached with Fianna Fáil on April 29, allowing a Fine Gael-led minority government in exchange for suspending controversial water charges, increasing rent allowances by 15%, and raising police numbers by 14,000.
Subsequently, on May 6, Kenny became the first Fine Gael MP to win re-election in Irish history, with 59 MPs voting yes and 49 no, thanks to the 43 Fianna Fáil MPs who abstained.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the deal represented “a major turning point for Irish democracy”. “It marks a decisive shift away from a government with the absolute power to control our parliament.”
Kenny released a statement on Facebook saying
I am grateful for the trust the Thirty-second Dáil has placed in me to lead the new Government as the country leads a new century.
As servants of our democracy, whether in the Government or the Opposition, we now have a new opportunity to help write the next chapter of the unfolding story of our country.
In doing so, we draw inspiration from that heroic generation that gained Ireland her freedom. Like them, we should never forget the hard-earned lessons of history and, like them, we should never set limits to our ambitions for our people or for the country.
Before he called February’s election, Mr Kenny had led a coalition government for the past five years, with the Labour Party as Fine Gael’s junior partner.
In his victory speech, a subdued Mr. Kenny appealed to opposition lawmakers to “work in partnership together to build a better Ireland.”
“It will be a real test of our democracy, of our character, and indeed of this house — a test I am convinced we will pass,” he said.
