Leadership…

I’m hardly a fan of Enda Kenny but I have to admit to a grudging admiration for his ability to run rings around his Fine Gael would be successors. His much heralded, yet curiously delayed, departure has been a masterpiece of tactical positioning. The latest wrinkle?

Fine Gael will be unable to hold a leadership election until the autumn if Taoiseach Enda Kenny does not stand aside in early June, party colleagues have said.
Party rules on membership renewal dictate that if a new leader is not in place by July 1st, it will mean that the “membership electorate” eligible to vote in the leadership race will be those registered for 2017-2018, rather than 2016-2017.

Now I suppose I could preface this with boilerplate about ‘funny if the situation politically wasn’t so serious’ but while that is (always) true, in a way given the political stasis at the moment I’m not sure it’s too big an issue.

Indeed I’d go further. The whole thing is remarkably diversionary, weakening the ability of this administration to cause more mischief than it otherwise might and in that way it may be no bad thing. As well as which this is a period of waiting, waiting for the next election and anything that delays the arrival of that day, so that left parties and formations can recharge themselves and build up support is no bad thing. Of course this situation indefinitely would be a different matter entirely.

Anyhow. Back at the coal face…

While all but one of a dozen Fine Gael TDs and Senators contacted by The Irish Times expect Mr Kenny to announce his timetable for departure next week, some supporters of leadership front-runners Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar remain sceptical about his intentions.

I find this more than a bit entertaining. They want him gone. But… they won’t actually push him out the door. And that makes me wonder how much they want him gone. There’s so much calculation here. Will FF let a new leader settle in? How will a new leader affect FG’s poll rating, etc. Small wonder that they’re torn. Hold on to what they’ve got with Kenny or risk losing (or gaining) with A.N.Other…

And meanwhile he promises next week he’ll reveal his plans regarding the leadership. Is this it finally, will he depart before June, or can he with one bound break free to…er… lead again?