War in Ukraine/Russia is ramping up significantly. Which political party would you feel safest leading Ireland during this period?

[Taeandcraic]

For me Independents & Aontú.. I can't see Michael Collins or Peadar Toibin doing anything to escalate or draw Ireland into conflict.
We are very close to the UK & Keir Stamer does not fill me with confidence.
I world not feel safe if SF, FF, FG or with any of the left leaning parties were leading us through this period.
I'll be voting taking European security into account.

Is Aontú not a left leaning party then? I thought they only differed from Sinn Féin on issues like abortion or gay marriage. So essentially they are just the pre Celtic Tiger version of Fianna Fáil. Fair enough I suppose.

No, Aontú are centered. The only party in the Dáil who held firm during the care & family referendum & lobbied hard for the country to vote No/No ensuring women & mothers remained in the constitution. All the others barr the Independents sold us females out the dry..
Aontú want to repeal the GRA, are very vocal on female issues & are not pandering to transgender ideology whatsoever.
Aontú are nothing like Sinn Féin who are completely captured, don't forget Sinn Féin lobbied hard for a yes/yes in the referendum last March. Unforgivable for any party to want to remove females & mothers from the constitution.

Also just to add Peadar Toibín & Aontú do not want the hate speech bill. Peadar Toibín did not sign the new hate crime bill. Aontú are legitimate opposition unlike Sinn Féin!

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/hate-crime-bill-passes-as-peadar-toibin-accuses-sinn-fein-of-stealing-my-clothes/a112581665.html

This article is another example of Sinn Féin blatently flip flopping. Peadar Toibín & Aontú have never comprised their values for votes.

Yeah. Áontú also want to roll back abortion so not exactly shining lights in terms of women's rights...

I think the reality is that we'll have the usual FF/FG coalition with a load of extras thrown in. This is what PR gets us. It's like the UK having either Labour or Tory, or the US having either Democrats or Republicans. I'm not mad about it but I don't honestly see it changing. A strong opposing voice would be good for a change but that's about as much as we can hope for. As for what that means in terms of the war in Ukraine? I've no clue. We're supposed to be neutral. I'm not sure that views on this would be hugely different between FF and FG? Obviously PBP or the Social Dems might have different takes on it but they won't be in power.

I hear what you are saying. I don't agree with their abortion stance but at least they know what women actually are (biologically born females!) so they are getting my no 1.
Peadar & Aontú were very strong during the referendum, any debate Peadar has been on he has got his points in very well without restoring to low blows. He is a very good debator & shows much more diplomacy than Michael Martin or Simon Harris who are the definition of snide & catty.

Except PR gets you some kind of coalition @LifeInAHamsterWheel . The Winner take all US and UK systems can sometimes land you with an elective dictatorship. So we have essentially had conservative government since 1922 but , for the most part , have escaped the extreme Thatcherite version.

Fwiw I agree that FFG will probably form the next administration. With another 'mudguard' minor party. They will see it as a mandate to do zip about housing for another 5 years. Hope I'm wrong ....

Neutrality? Michael Martin has been chipping away at that for a long time including the triple lock.. With the war escalating rapididly in Ukraine & the war in the Middle East he is not who I want being at the helm..

https://www.ft.com/content/67279122-7cf4-41ad-bc98-24fe8a51538f

Martin is put of synch with most FF people hereabouts then. Historically it is FG who are pro NATO , want to join the Commonwealth etc. All a bit of a cod with military flights using Shannon en route to Israel.

Completely agree @Abhannmor . That is why I am worried if the Ukraine war escalates, I don't want any party compromising our neutrality & I think Martin has been ebbing away at it especially in his role as Minister for Foreign affairs. The UK are continuing to send weapons, we are very close to them geographically, I think this should be a factor to consider next Friday..

This has literally just broken on Sky News.. I think we also have a right to be very concerned so we don't get dragged in indirectly ..

we are apart of nato we would automatically become apart of the war if Russia begin it @Taeandcraic

but the issue with that is its like buying a product from china then using it in a warzone and then saying now china is involve because they made the product.

its false logic

@PicklesOfMany2024 no Ireland is not in NATO!! We are a neutral country & I for one want to keep it that way!!!

so much for solidarity, Ireland would soon want NATOs help if Russia invaded

But the hope is that by remaining neutral & by not being part of NATO we are keeping our neutrality & won't be a target.

My first 2 preferences are SF and Labour this time. Tbh I don't think I would feel more of less safe with any particular party in charge with all that's happening in the world. I think our neutrality is valued by most of the candidates.

I wouldn't vote Aontu because they don't align with my views personally.

Yes I think neutrality is important for all except Michael Martin & Fianna Fáil. I know there are always wars happening around the world but this one is in Europe & very close to home with the UKs involvement..

This is what I was trying to say in my post, but you've worded it properly!

I'm always doing that @LifeInAHamsterWheel ! Plus my spelling has gone to shit. I was using a laptop , no predictive text , the other day and realised I have regressed to the level of a ten year old 😭.

They are socially conservative but their policies seem Center left to me.

They don't align with my values but they don't seem completely bonkers either - unlike some of our newer parties,

I think we will be at the mercy of world events regardless of who is in control. All the main parties value our neutrality anyway. These Russian spy ships and that submarine ages ago - well it would worry you what's coming down the line.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/taoiseach-micheal-martin-denies-irish-neutrality-is-being-undermined-by-attending-eu-nato-leaders-summit-in-madrid/41802997.html

I feel every other party barr Fianna Fáil values our neutrality..

At the end of the day if war did kick off we'd be aligned with the EU, the UK and ultimately NATO.

Our neutrality has always been a bit of an odd one.

Aontú are tipped to get 3% of the vote so they definitely won't be in power anyway. Baffled why so many of the few Aontú posters are on Mumsnet.

I think it's more that Aontú may get 10 seats & replace the Greens in the coalition.
Why are you baffled? Aontú were very strong during the referendum & never swayed from their No No stance. Also extremely GC & not intimidated by the the trans brigade..

As regards neutrality, is the whole island neutral? Where does Northern Ireland stand? Could the North be a potential target?