The election in Ireland

Dead race in public opinion as Ireland goes to the polls today

Today, the Irish go to the polls and the state of opinion indicates an even election outcome. Conservative Fianna Fáil, Christian Democrat Fine Gael and left-wing nationalist Sinn Féin all get around 20 percent in opinion polls, writes The Guardian.

Since 2020, Ireland is governed by a coalition between former rivals Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. The current Prime Minister is Fine Gael's Simon Harris, who succeeded Leo Varadkar after he left last spring.

According to The Guardian, voters' most important issues are the high cost of living, housing shortages and immigration.

Polling stations close at 10pm tonight, Irish time. Given the tight state of opinion, a coalition is inevitable, regardless of who wins, writes Sky News.

Simon Harris' limp handshake could cost him his job

A dismissive handshake with a voter could cost Ireland's sitting Prime Minister Simon Harris the victory in today's parliamentary election, writes DN.

It was on Sunday that Harris ran into voter and care worker Charlotte Fallon in a grocery store. In front of the cameras of the Irish public service company RTE, Fallon said that the government had done nothing for the country's healthcare workers. A visibly annoyed Harris replied "I sure have" before shaking hands with the woman and walking away.

The incident saw Harris' Fine Gael party drop a whopping six percentage points in opinion polls in just one day and Harris has been forced to issue a personal apology to Fallon.