Micheál Martin’s Fianna Fáil secured the most seats in the Irish general election with 38, a mere one ahead of Sinn Féin.
Sinn Féin’s 37 seats increases its presence in the Dáil Éireann [Irish parliament] by 14 seats compared to the 2016 election, while Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael finished on 35 seats.
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald hailed the result “something of a revolution in the ballot box”, after her party had topped the first preference poll.
The slender margin between the three parties and the lack of an outright majority means that the composition of the next Irish government is uncertain, especially after both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil said that they would not enter a coalition with Sinn Féin going into the national poll.
Following the result, Martin towed back on that policy, saying that Fianna Fáil would not rule out working with Sinn Féin, but warned of “significant incompatibilities” between the two parties.
McDonald said that Sinn Féin would explore the possibility working with other parties to form a government without any of the other two major players.
On Monday evening, she said she had entered dialogue with Labour, the Greens and other smaller political parties.
McDonald told the Irish press: "People want different politics, new politics and better government - a new government - and I believe Sinn Féin will be the core of that.
"I may well be the next taoiseach.”
