European and Local Elections – Count Thread – Day 2

So, the referendum on divorce was decisively passed with 82.07 per cent support – the IT notes that’s the widest margin of victory since the GFA/BA. But the counts continue. No startling observations so far – not a great day for the left, not a fabulous day for the larger parties either. The Taoiseach may be regretting not going to the polls at a general election a year or two back. A good day for the GP, but in a way I wonder is what we’re seeing a partial reversion to their old position where they were the catch-all party for some, leftish but not quite left, radicalish but not quite radical etc, etc. in the 2000s. After all they did have 6 TDs during that period fairly solidly throughout. Or is this a wave as there were ‘left’ waves before and SF waves and so on. Or is economic stability – despite desperate issues around housing and other areas – sufficient that the tide has ebbed for the left? And yet FF and FG can’t seal the deal. So much of what we see in the locals seems to be almost personality driven. Candidates who are well known tending to get elected – those not don’t and this across the political spectrum.