Ireland to Hold Snap General Election: What to Know

Europe|What to Know About Ireland’s Snap General Election

Voters in the Republic of Ireland are set to head to the polls later this month for a general election.

On Friday afternoon, Simon Harris, the prime minister of Ireland, said that he had dissolved the lower house of the Irish Parliament and would schedule an election for Nov. 29, ending months of speculation about the timing.

The vote had to be held before the current coalition government’s five-year mandate came to an end in March 2025. And with Mr. Harris’s center-right party, Fine Gael, enjoying renewed support in recent polling after previously struggling, the decision comes as little surprise to those with a close eye on Irish politics. As the country of 5.2 million people embarks on three short weeks of campaigning, here’s what to know.

Who are the main candidates and parties?

Since the modern Irish state achieved independence from Britain just over 100 years ago, nearly every Irish government has been led by one of two center-right parties — Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

At the last election in February 2020, Fianna Fáil won the most parliamentary seats but failed to secure an absolute majority. To the surprise of many, Sinn Féin, a left-wing nationalist party, saw a surge in support, winning the popular vote and coming in second place in terms of seats, ahead of the governing party Fine Gael, which was then led by Leo Varadkar.