Increased Support For AAA–PBP In the Latest Polling

Credit where credit is due. From opposing water charges to exposing corporate malfeasance, from fighting socio-economic inequality to campaigning for constitutional reform, the Anti-Austerity Alliance–People Before Profit (AAA–PBP) has led the left-wing charge on a range of major political issues in recent years, outstripping Sinn Féin in the opposition stakes. If the institutional culture of the “Continuity State” lies comfortably to the right, peopled by conservative and quasi-conservative forces like Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, or faux-centrist groupings like Labour, then the AAA-PBP has staked out electoral ground well to the left, ground that should be the natural home of SF. One is tempted to suggest that Sinn Féin’s continuous wooing of cautious middle-class voters has led the party to forget the lessons it learned from building its regional power base in the UK-administered north-east. The disenfranchised and disdained, the humiliated and frustrated, can also fill the polling stations if sufficiently motivated and led.

Absent the presence of the AAA–PBP, or any other credible left-wing option, its possible that the effective use of vote management would yield SF thirty or more seats in Dáil Éireann. As it the the Anti-Austerity Alliance–People Before Profit is providing a real contest in a number of constituencies and is successfully exploiting Sinn Féin’s decision to deradicalise itself for the sake of press respectability. A delusional pursuit by the latter given the influence of the conservative cohorts of Independent News & Media on the media landscape. In any case, the latest poll by the Sunday Business Post/Red C may reflect the good standing of AAA–PBP among some voters, registering an increase just outside the margin of error.

Fianna Fáil 26% (-1%)
Fine Gael 25% (0%)
Sinn Féin 13% (-2%)
Independents 10% (0%)
AAA-PBP 9% (+3%)
Independent Alliance 6% (+2%)
Labour 5% (-2%)
Social Democrats 3% (-1%)
Green Party 3% (+1%)