The Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin is facing calls from senior backbench politicians in his party, Fianna Fáil, for a discussion about the future of the leadership.
Independent politician Catherine Connolly was elected to be the next president of Ireland in a landslide vote last weekend.
Fianna Fáil’s candidate in the election, former football manager and Irish Defence Forces peacekeeper Jim Gavin, withdrew several weeks ago after controversy over overpaid rent by a tenant.
However, his name remained on the ballot.
Despite party stalwart Billy Kelleher, who is a member of the European Parliament (MEP), also wanting to run for the presidency as a Fianna Fail candidate, the party leadership backed Gavin.
Having been Fianna Fáil leader for 14 years, Martin now faces calls from senior party backbenchers for a talks on the future of the leadership.
TD (member of parliament) John McGuinness, who is a TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, said the party needs a new leader “in the not too distant future”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week, he said the party made “serious errors” in the presidential election campaign, which ultimately saw its candidate Jim Gavin dropping out of contention.
Micheál Martin and Simon Harris attended Dublin Castle on Saturday as Catherine Connolly was declared as the next president of Ireland [PA Media]
His party colleague John Lahart told RTÉ News that he agreed with his colleague John McGuinness that there must be a discussion about the leadership.
McGuinness said that the party needs a new leader in the not too distant future.
“It is a conversation that the party needs to have. The events of the last few weeks, the result yesterday, and the outcome of the result have brought that conversation forward,” Lahart said.
Party TDs have now said they will postpone these talks until a review of the party’s running of the presidential campaign concludes in two weeks’ time.
Fianna Fáil TD Darragh O’Brien, however, said on Monday morning that the “vast majority” of parliamentary party members support Martin.
“We have 48 TDs, we have over 20 senators in the parliamentary party as well. The vast majority of them support Micheál Martin as leader unquestionably,” he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
Analysis: Is the Taoiseach about to resign?
This is highly unlikely.
There has always been a cohort of rebel TDs in Fianna Fáil critical of Martin’s leadership.
Some now view that his time as leader is numbered.
Some within the party believe there will be a change of leader after Ireland’s time holding presidency of EU Council ends in December 2026.
This will mean Martin will not take over as Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) in 2027 when Fine Gael’s Simon Harris takes over as Taoiseach.
The two are due to swap roles as part of the current government agreement.
Biggest loser
The biggest loser of the presidential election is undoubtedly Michéal Martin.
Jim Gavin is the elephant in the room of this election.
Still on the ballot paper, his votes were counted, even though he withdrew from the race earlier this month.
Martin personally backed and heralded Gavin and this is why his position as leader has been significantly damaged.
For now, he is secure.
Jim Gavin withdrew from the election several weeks ago after controversy over overpaid rent by a tenant [PA Media]
The second biggest loser
With a vote coming in at around 30%, Fine Gael failed to poach the Fianna Fáil vote and grow its vote in any substantial way.
Despite ruling in government, Fine Gael have underwhelmed in recent elections.
After overworking and exhausting itself during the general election campaign last year, it took its foot slightly off the pedal for the Heather Humphreys campaign.
But Humphreys failed to connect with voters during media appearances. She also appeared as the de facto establishment candidate.
Voting with your pocket
It appears Irish voters are happy to keep Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in power, but when it comes to questions around culture, representation and values, they do not believe the two parties represent them.
Referendums on family and care last year put forward by the two parties, as well as the Green Party, were flat out rejected by voters.
But those same voters seemed content enough to let the two ruling parties back into government.
The Irish presidency, a non executive role, is seen as mostly representing Irish people for their values and cultures. But voters didn’t seem to think Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael represented either.
The unlikely candidate
Readers will remember it was former EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness who was supposed to be the Fine Gael candidate.
But she withdrew from the campaign early on due to health issues.
Heather Humphreys was Fine Gael’s candidate in the election [PA Media]
Humphreys was the unlikely candidate, as she retired from national politics last year after serving as a TD from 2011 to 2024.
At times during debates and interviews it appeared Humphreys’ personality failed to shine through.
Some in Fine Gael blamed the candidate as opposed to the campaign, but it is clear the campaign did her no favours.
The former Cabinet minister was met with praise across the political spectrum when she said she would not be running for the Dáil again.
She will be disappointed with this end to her political career.
