ID :
157653
Mon, 01/17/2011 - 18:03
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http://m.oananews.org//node/157653
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Irish PM faces leadership challenge ahead of elections
London, Jan 17, IRNA - Ireland's Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, faces a leadership contest after the country's foreign minister said that it was time to change Fianna Fail’s leadership before the expected general election.
Micheál Martin said he was tendering his resignation as foreign minister in order to challenge Cowan as leader of the main party in the ruling coalition.
He welcomed Cowen’s announcement on Sunday to table a vote of confidence at a parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday and said he had reluctantly concluded that Fianna Fáil should change its leader before the general election.
Martin, who is favourite to become leader of Ireland’s traditional largest party, confirmed that he would vote against Cowen in the confidence motion.
The main opposition Fine Gael is demanding an immediate general election, which appears inevitable, with the government reeling from the country’s economic collapse that prompted an EU/IMF bailout at the end of last year.
A general election was first called for by the Green Party, the junior party in the coalition government, in November, ahead of Cowan announcing an emergency austerity budget.
The latest opinion poll on January 7 put support for Fianna Fail on only 14 per cent, an historic low, and compares with 41.5 per cent at the last general election in 2007. Support for the Greens has also slipped from 5 per cent to 4 per cent.
Favourites to win are Fine Gael, on 35 per cent, in a likely coalition with Labour, on 21 per cent. Other parties include Sinn Fein on 14 per cent as well a sizeable support of 12 per cent for independents, who could again hold the balance of power./end
Micheál Martin said he was tendering his resignation as foreign minister in order to challenge Cowan as leader of the main party in the ruling coalition.
He welcomed Cowen’s announcement on Sunday to table a vote of confidence at a parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday and said he had reluctantly concluded that Fianna Fáil should change its leader before the general election.
Martin, who is favourite to become leader of Ireland’s traditional largest party, confirmed that he would vote against Cowen in the confidence motion.
The main opposition Fine Gael is demanding an immediate general election, which appears inevitable, with the government reeling from the country’s economic collapse that prompted an EU/IMF bailout at the end of last year.
A general election was first called for by the Green Party, the junior party in the coalition government, in November, ahead of Cowan announcing an emergency austerity budget.
The latest opinion poll on January 7 put support for Fianna Fail on only 14 per cent, an historic low, and compares with 41.5 per cent at the last general election in 2007. Support for the Greens has also slipped from 5 per cent to 4 per cent.
Favourites to win are Fine Gael, on 35 per cent, in a likely coalition with Labour, on 21 per cent. Other parties include Sinn Fein on 14 per cent as well a sizeable support of 12 per cent for independents, who could again hold the balance of power./end
