Manchester University Press Independents in Irish Party Democracy

In almost all competitive political systems, parties dominant elections. In Ireland however, independents or non-party politicians remain significant players. At the Dáil election of 2016 independents won 23 seats, proportionally the highest level of elected independent representation in the national parliament of any established democracy since 1950, and more than the combined total in all other advanced democracies. Not only have independents in Ireland persisted, but they have also had a significant political impact. Frequently holding the balance of power as kingmakers in hung parliaments where no party or coalition has an overall majority, independents have been able to use this position to extract policy influence. In 2016 they also became government ministers for the first time since 1948. This book examines and explains the persistence of the independent phenomenon in a modern democracy. With Ireland as the primary case, but also using comparative data, it assesses how and why independents can endure in a democracy that is one of the oldest surviving in Europe and has historically had one of the most stable party systems. It is due to the permissiveness of the Irish political system, in terms of a conducive political culture and institutions, electoral record and key relevance, all of which combine to facilitate independents' emergence. This book will be of interest to both the academic and general reader, and to those interested in political parties and Irish politics.