We must hold nerve to avoid populist chaos

Consensus is the key as communities across the world face many of the same challenges,

THIS was a challenging year to be a politician of the progressive centre. At home, our election led to a fragmented Dail and the election of TDs whose aim is not to govern.

Abroad, electorates in Britain, the United States and Italy delivered crushing blows to “the establishment”, resulting in electoral outcomes no one dared imagine even 12 months ago.

The populist left and right celebrate these results — Beppe Grillo, the former comedian who leads the Five Star Movement in Italy and who wants Italy to exit the EU, welcomed the election of Donald Trump and claimed Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had “destroyed democracy”.

I do not share this view, but nor do I share the view that these results are benign. Brexit may mean Brexit, but it could also mean more borders, less trade and a closing of minds. The election in America may have similar effects. The French, Dutch and German elections may have consequences for Ireland.

While centrist politics is under threat, there remain shining examples of countries where the centre has held and is working. The most powerful politician in Europe right now is Angela Merkel, who has rooted her political approach firmly in the centre. Canada is governed by the popular centrist Justin Trudeau, who has spoken passionately about the need for openness.

I believe Ireland is and can continue to be just such an example of how politicians from the centre can govern with authority and build a better world for our people. Despite the political splintering in the Dail, a broadly centrist Government was elected and is governing effectively, just as the last one did.

Since first coming to power, and despite claims to the contrary, Fine Gael has sought to make decisions that bring the breadth of public opinion with us. The Independent Alliance and Independents have shown a similar resolve since the formation in May of the Partnership Government.

In governing from the political centre, we have helped transform this country. Unemployment has been halved. Emigrants are returning home. Our deficit is significantly down. Investment is up.

Our economy and our society are not healed, but they are starting to heal.

We have our critics, of course. The “anti-centre” in Ireland is from the populist left, rather than the populist right, but this is just another side of the same coin. While populists in Britain and America blame immigrants and other minorities, populists here blame fake “elites”.

All these populists blame the EU and “the establishment”. And regardless of whether the populists are from the left or right, their policies still result in a more insular, inward and divided approach to government. UKIP gave us Brexit. Syriza in Greece gave us a dramatic deterioration in its economy. What awaits in the US remains to be seen.

To avoid slipping into a populist morass, we must hold our nerve, engage respectfully with our opponents and include those who feel excluded.

The people of the American rust belt and the communities of neglected inner cities in Ireland have much in common.

Both face issues such as inter-generational unemployment, educational disadvantage and social deprivation that we must tackle together.

Our critics say that we are avoiding tough decisions. Not true. To the surprise of many, we successfully passed a Budget. We published the ambitious Housing Action Plan, backed by billions of euro of public investment.

Of course, there are processes under way to deal with difficult issues such as water charges and abortion.

But the last Government was accused of arrogance by use of a majority. Our critics cannot have their cake and eat it, and dismiss now our attempts to build consensus.

And consensus is key. As a centrist politician, it is second nature for me to seek to engage with both unions and employers when it comes to issues such as public pay.

My efforts to ensure the public pay bill remains sustainable will win me no friends on the left. I can live with that. What I can’t live with is the suggestion that the era of sensible politics, based on striving to do what is best for everyone, is over.

Critics have been too hasty to write this political epitaph. Volatility might become more acute and dangerous next year — not less — this just heightens the need for care at home.

It heightens the need for politicians to communicate with people, explain why we are doing things (or not doing them) and win their support.

Let’s not mistake steady and incremental progress for no progress at all. Otherwise we run the risk of undermining the very centre of opinion that can maintain this progress in the future.

‘Critics cannot have their cake and eat it’