SHOCK AND SUSPICION: WHAT POLL RESPONDENTS THINK ABOUT CHANGE AT THE TOP
The biggest cohort of respondents expressed considerable shock and surprise at the news of Leo Varadkar’s resignation last Wednesday.
A significant number of respondents expressed delight or relief at the resignation, with the words “good riddance” appearing in a large number of cases.
Some respondents expressed disappointment over the decision, indicating they were sad to see Varadkar leave.
There was also a degree of suspicion or speculation about the possibility of a scandal or undisclosed reason behind Varadkar’s resignation.
Some respondents highlighted the unexpected timing of Varadkar’s resignation or speculated about personal reasons that may have led to his decision.
A relatively small number of respondents mentioned the need for an immediate general election.
The biggest cohort of responses indicated disappointment with the choice of the new leader. Some noted Harris’s election without a contest.
The second-biggest cohort expressed relief at Varadkar’s resignation and saw the new leader as a positive change.
A significant number of respondents said they were not surprised by the selection of Harris.
Some respondents said they were not confident in the abilities of the new leader and expressed doubts about his capability to lead, citing inexperience.
Some respondents compared Harris to his predecessor, stating they saw similarities in their approach and characteristics.
Other respondents said they believed a general election was more important than a new Fine Gael leader.
Note: We asked those who were polled on Friday and yesterday to provide, in their own words, their immediate response to the resignation of Leo Varadkar and his replacement by Simon Harris. More than 10,000 words were submitted. ChatGPT was then used to explore and classify response patterns. The analysis and validation was conducted with Dr Stefan Muller, assistant professor of politics at UCD and subsequently verified by Sunday Independent editors.