No Room for Labour: Coalition Prospects Narrow in Ireland

Ireland's Labour Party has decided not to join the government as a junior partner to the centre-right Fianna Fail and Fine Gael parties. The dominant parties are now likely to secure a coalition deal with mostly conservative independent lawmakers following their failure to achieve a majority in the recent elections.

In a decisive move, Ireland's Labour Party has opted out of joining the government as a junior coalition partner to the centre-right parties Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. This decision may lead the dominant parties to seek a coalition with conservative independent lawmakers after each fell short of a majority in the recent election.

While coalition talks began last week, the Labour Party, viewed as the more likely of the two centre-left parties to join, decided against negotiations. Labour leader Ivana Bacik cited major policy discrepancies with both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, indicating that Labour's policy priorities could not coexist in a coalition.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, excluding the possibility of partnering with Sinn Fein, aim to return to power together with little friction on policy matters. They have managed to elevate one of the nine independent representatives they are negotiating with as speaker, enhancing prospects for a coalition deal early next year.

(With inputs from agencies.)