A Taoiseach without backing of voters has no consent to rule..
WHEN I went to vote in the last election I had three realistic choices for Taoiseach – Leo Varadkar, Micheal Martin and Mary Lou Mcdonald.
The then struggling Health Minister Simon Harris wasn’t mentioned and why would he be? He wasn’t the leader of any of the main political parties at the time.
But roll on four years and now right out of the blue he is the new leader of Fine Gael following Leo Varadkar’s resignation.
He will be elected Taoiseach in a fortnight’s time without receiving any votes or mandate from the people to do that job.
That apparently is democracy, Irish style, and it is totally wrong.
The ruling political class will say taoisigh are elected by the Dail and he will get a Dail majority so that’s OK.
He won’t be the first premier to be elected without an election.
Take John Bruton and the rainbow coalition between Fine Gael, Labour and the Democratic Left in the nineties.
But Bruton, unlike Harris, led his party into that election cycle only for Labour to go into power with Fianna Fail and then jump ship and go running back to him for a deal without going to the country. A prime minister without the backing of the people has no moral consent to rule.
Harris, Micheal Martin and the Greens leader Eamon Ryan will argue that governments are formed between parties via a programme for Government and not individuals. They have a year to run before reverting to the people and feel they are quite entitled to stay in power.
I fundamentally disagree and don’t buy their argument.
I have nothing against Harris personally but mark my word he will be a lame duck Taoiseach. The truth is this Government is terrified of holding an election at the moment and will do anything to avoid it. They will use every excuse under the sun and spin to put off the inevitable.
All three parties are struggling in the opinion polls and there is huge anger out there over housing and the way this administration and especially Roderick O’gorman has handled immigration.
But also people don’t feel safe on the streets especially in Dublin even though we have one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. The public wants to see Garda visibility on the ground, not a bucketload of woke laws which Minister for Justice Helen Mcentee is obsessed with.
If Harris wants to be a Taoiseach elected by the people then he should call a General Election immediately and get a mandate from the people of Ireland.
Fine Gael members at a meeting in Athlone should not have the power to do it. Becoming Taoiseach of this wonderful little country is one of the greatest honours anyone can have. Normally it takes years of hard work and life experience to get there.
Harris is being rushed in to try and save his party’s bacon as they fear annihilation in the June local and European elections.
The party has been in power for almost 14 years, far too long. They need to go into opposition for a spell to recharge the batteries and come up with new faces and more importantly new ideas.
They have absolutely failed the people of this country on housing, causing absolute carnage for many families.
Fine Gael made a mistake not installing a heavyweight like Paschal Donohue into the top job because they foolishly think Harris is more likely to save their seats.
I would say Varadkar is looking on and laughing his socks off. He had the brains to get out on his own terms because he knew the writing was on the wall.
Voters fatigue has set in with Fine Gael and only time itself can heal that symptom.
Being a politician these days is not easy. The amount of abuse out there on social media is appalling. Leo got more than his fair share and I am sure it took its toll.
The first thing Harris should do as Taoiseach is call a General Election and let the people have their say. But there is not a chance in hell of that happening.
Harris is being rushed in to try and save his party’s bacon