Fine Gael will have four MEPs in the next European Parliament after the elections in May, according to a Kantar Public report released on Friday.
The report on developments in the political landscape predicts that while Fine Gael retains its lead in Ireland, its EU umbrella party - the European People’s Party (EPP) - will shrink from representing 29.45% of the parliament to 26.7%.
The EPP is expected to lose support in France, Italy, Spain, Czechia, Slovakia and Poland.
Extra seats
When the UK exits the EU, the size of the parliament will reduce from 751 seats to 705, while some 27 of its seats are being reallocated to other member states.
Ireland receives two extra seats from this and the report forecasts they will be snapped up by Fianna Fáil candidates.
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin will land three seats each, according to the report.
In the last election, Fianna Fáil only won one seat. Sinn Féin currently has three seats and will retain those, according to the report, which is in line with the trend across Europe for its umbrella party called the Nordic Green Left (NGL). The NGL party represents 7% of the seats in the parliament.
Other seats
Meanwhile, independents are expected to win two seats and Labour one seat.
Labour’s umbrella party is currently the second-largest party in the parliament after the EPP group.
The Alliance of Socialists and Democrats holds just over 25% of the seats, but this is expected to fall to 20%.
The projection was carried out by Kantar Public and the data for Ireland is based on national voting intentions.
The political structure of the next parliament will be telling, with the Common Agricultural Policy reform, climate change, unfair trading practices (UTPs), anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and the renewal of licenses for active ingredients in sprays all dominating the agenda at the moment.
The parliament acts as a co-legislator, sharing with the council the power to adopt and amend legislative proposals and to decide on the EU budget.
It also supervises the work of the Commission and other EU bodies and co-operates with national parliaments of EU countries to get their input.
From 23 to 26 May, European citizens will cast their votes in the elections.
The IFA will hold four open farmer meetings for the candidates running in the European elections.
Midlands-North-West Constituency
24 April – McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, Co Mayo1 May – Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, Co WestmeathSouth Constituency
30 April – Springfort Hall, Mallow, Co Cork7 May – Springhill Court Hotel, Kilkenny Read more
The Big Dealer: a tale of two ag ministers – the 2019 race to Brussels
Fine Gael will have four MEPs in the next European Parliament after the elections in May, according to a Kantar Public report released on Friday.
The report on developments in the political landscape predicts that while Fine Gael retains its lead in Ireland, its EU umbrella party - the European People’s Party (EPP) - will shrink from representing 29.45% of the parliament to 26.7%.
The EPP is expected to lose support in France, Italy, Spain, Czechia, Slovakia and Poland.
Extra seats
When the UK exits the EU, the size of the parliament will reduce from 751 seats to 705, while some 27 of its seats are being reallocated to other member states.
Ireland receives two extra seats from this and the report forecasts they will be snapped up by Fianna Fáil candidates.
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin will land three seats each, according to the report.
In the last election, Fianna Fáil only won one seat. Sinn Féin currently has three seats and will retain those, according to the report, which is in line with the trend across Europe for its umbrella party called the Nordic Green Left (NGL). The NGL party represents 7% of the seats in the parliament.
Other seats
Meanwhile, independents are expected to win two seats and Labour one seat.
Labour’s umbrella party is currently the second-largest party in the parliament after the EPP group.
The Alliance of Socialists and Democrats holds just over 25% of the seats, but this is expected to fall to 20%.
The projection was carried out by Kantar Public and the data for Ireland is based on national voting intentions.
The political structure of the next parliament will be telling, with the Common Agricultural Policy reform, climate change, unfair trading practices (UTPs), anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and the renewal of licenses for active ingredients in sprays all dominating the agenda at the moment.
The parliament acts as a co-legislator, sharing with the council the power to adopt and amend legislative proposals and to decide on the EU budget.
It also supervises the work of the Commission and other EU bodies and co-operates with national parliaments of EU countries to get their input.
From 23 to 26 May, European citizens will cast their votes in the elections.
The IFA will hold four open farmer meetings for the candidates running in the European elections.
Midlands-North-West Constituency
24 April – McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, Co Mayo1 May – Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, Co WestmeathSouth Constituency
30 April – Springfort Hall, Mallow, Co Cork7 May – Springhill Court Hotel, Kilkenny Read more
The Big Dealer: a tale of two ag ministers – the 2019 race to Brussels
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