KEY POINTS:
DUBLIN - Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, yesterday announced May 24 as the date of the next Irish general election, in which he will attempt to pull off his third consecutive victory.
He had until recently seemed to be heading inexorably towards another success which would have confirmed his status as the Irish Republic's dominant political figure. But a series of problems, including a strike by nurses, has recently led to a distinct dip in the fortunes of his Fianna Fail Party. As a result the election has suddenly become too close to call.
The central issue in the campaign will be the management of the Irish economy, the phenomenal success of which has transformed the Republic's fortunes over the past decade.
Ahern's pitch is that this bright new Ireland has been ably managed by his Government, which is a coalition of the Fianna Party and the much smaller Progressive Democrats. Various Opposition parties, on the other hand, portray the Government as complacent, incompetent and wasteful.
An alternative coalition would be headed by the second-largest party, Fine Gael, together with the Irish Labour party and the Greens. The choice of Taoiseach will come down to either Ahern or Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
- INDEPENDENT
