1981 Irish general election

1981 Irish general election

1981 Irish general election, seats per constituency

Irish general election 1981

1981 Irish general election

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166 seats in Dáil Éireann 84 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	76.2%
style="background:transparent; color: inherit; width:100%;"   First party Second party Third party   Leader Charles Haughey Garret FitzGerald Frank Cluskey Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour Party Leader since 7 December 1979 1977 1977 Leader's seat Dublin North-Central Dublin South-East Dublin South-Central Last election 84 seats 43 seats 17 seats Seats won 78 65 15 Seat change 6 22 2 Popular vote 1,005,891 657,296 291,193 Percentage 45.3% 29.8% 13.1% Swing 2.2% 8.3% 1.2%
Taoiseach before election Charles Haughey Fianna Fáil Elected Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald Fine Gael

The 1981 Irish general election was held on 11 June 1981. The election was called by the Taoiseach Charles Haughey of Fianna Fáil. The election saw a significant shift in the political landscape of Ireland, with Fine Gael making substantial gains at the expense of Fianna Fáil.

Background

The election was precipitated by a number of factors, including economic difficulties, high unemployment, and social unrest. The Fianna Fáil government, led by Charles Haughey, had been in power since the 1977 general election and faced increasing criticism over its handling of the economy.

Campaign

The campaign was marked by intense competition between the two main parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Garret FitzGerald, the leader of Fine Gael, campaigned on a platform of economic reform and social change. The Labour Party, led by Frank Cluskey, also played a significant role in the campaign, advocating for workers' rights and social justice.

Results

The election resulted in a hung Dáil Éireann, with no party achieving an outright majority. Fianna Fáil won 78 seats, a loss of 6 seats from the previous election. Fine Gael made significant gains, winning 65 seats, an increase of 22 seats. The Labour Party won 15 seats, a loss of 2 seats.

Party	Seats	Change	Vote	%
Fianna Fáil	78	-6	1,005,891	45.3%
Fine Gael	65	+22	657,296	29.8%
Labour Party	15	-2	291,193	13.1%
Others	8	-	266,000	11.8%

Aftermath

Following the election, Garret FitzGerald of Fine Gael formed a coalition government with the Labour Party, becoming the new Taoiseach. The coalition government faced numerous challenges, including economic difficulties and social unrest.

Related Pages

• Dáil Éireann
• Taoiseach
• Fianna Fáil
• Fine Gael
• Labour Party (Ireland)
• Charles Haughey
• Garret FitzGerald
• 1977 Irish general election
• February 1982 Irish general election