While Sinn Féin has slipped, the slack has not been taken up by either the moderate or the hard left. Do they want to act as support groups for Sinn Féin or try to build a moderate left-wing alternative? Sinn Féin and People Before Profit were joined in their opposition to aid for Ukraine by Independent Ireland and Aontú. The message for the Social Democrats, Labour and the Greens in the current phase of political stasis is that they need to win over voters from Sinn Féin, rather than trotting after it. Labour and the Greens have done this in the past and have serious achievements to their credit.

Source: The Irish Times February 06, 2026 16:52 UTC