Candidate Selection

Abstract

The 2011 election took place in a more politically charged atmosphere than previous contests. The collapse of the economy, the banking crisis and the application for an EU/IMF loan contributed to the heightened political tensions (see Chapter 1) and meant that the political landscape was markedly different from the 2007 election. The dramatic shift in Irish economic fortunes precipitated significant movements in support levels for all the political parties. Indeed, ‘change’ became something of a mantra in public discussions of politics before the election. This gave rise to widespread speculation about new political parties and movements. A record 566 candidates chose to contest the election, an increase of 96 on the 2007 election. Wicklow had the highest number of candidates with 24 names on the ballot paper, while the average across all constituencies was over 13.

I am particularly grateful to the party strategists and candidates who participated in interviews for this chapter. All of the data listed in tables were sourced from candidate websites, political parties and candidate interviews.