Opposition ‘to top Irish poll without overall majority’
Baku, February 25 (AZERTAC). Fine Gael will form the Republic of Ireland`s next government, but without an overall majority, according to a general election exit poll.
The country`s main ruling party, Fianna Fail, has suffered a huge election defeat months after the EU/IMF bail-out, the poll says.
Fianna Fail is facing almost complete wipe-out in Dublin.
Its share of the vote in the capital city is estimated at just 8%.
Analysts say the party will struggle to win more than one seat.
With 85% of boxes tallied in Mayo, it looks like Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny will bring in three running mates in his home constituency.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams may be on course to top the poll in Louth.
With around 60% of the boxes opened, an unofficial cross-party tally has him on 22% of first preference votes, almost 3% ahead of Fergus O`Dowd of Fine Gael.
According to the RTE exit poll, throughout the country Fine Gael won 36.1% and Labour, its traditional coalition partner, took 20.5% - its best result ever.
Fianna Fail was knocked into third place on 15.1%, its worst result ever.
Sinn Fein won 10.1% while support for the Greens, Fianna Fail`s junior coalition partner, plummeted to 2.7%.
Other candidates in a race with a record number of independents standing took 15.5%.
The RTE/Millward Brown Lansdowne poll traditionally provides an accurate picture of voting with its exit poll at the last election in 2007 accurate to within half a percentage point.
Projecting the number of seats from the share of the vote is not an exact science.
However, based on the results of the RTE exit poll, Professor Michael Marsh from Trinity College Dublin made the following estimate of the shape of the next 166-strong Irish parliament:
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has said he will try to re-negotiate the terms of the 85bn-euro (£72bn) bail-out.
Voters blamed Fianna Fail for the end of the "Celtic Tiger`s" economic boom.
Fianna Fail, in power for the past 14 years with various junior coalition partners, went into the race with a new leader, Micheal Martin, after the resignation of Brian Cowen, the outgoing taoiseach (prime minister).
It will take two days to complete the official count.
Many parts of the country saw a big increase in turnout on the 67% recorded in the last general election in 2007.
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