Irish Greens show what can be achieved with 7.5%

5 months ago 14

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Down, but certainly not out. Thanks to post-election political wranglings, the Greens may still be needed by incumbent Ursula von der Leyen, to secure a more secure Parliament majority behind her reappointment as Commission President.

With just 53 seats at time of writing, representing 7.4% of the hemicycle, the Greens know they cannot count on the same bargaining power as they enjoyed in the heady days of 2019.

But the experience of their Irish colleagues over the past 4 years shows that a lot can be done with 7.4%.

In an uncanny coincidence, the Irish Green party secured 12 of Ireland’s 160 Dáil seats in the 2020 national elections – 7.5% of the country’s main parliamentary chamber.

It may not have been much, but it was enough. The Greens engaged in drawn-out, difficult political negotiations, yet ultimately went into government with two larger centrist parties.

The Irish Greens did not have an easy start.

The party was divided about going into government, with many idealists voicing dissent, and some ultimately leaving. The party’s deputy leader launched an unsuccessful attempt to dethrone the leader, Eamon Ryan. Within a few months of entering into government, two Green parliamentarians – including a minister – were suspended by the party for refusing to support government legislation.

But they kept a clear-eyed focus on a few core priorities – climate change, renewables, home insulations, and funding active travel like cycling and walking.

Things settled down. In coalition negotiations the party made sure to secure key ministries – giving them access to the key levers of power.

Much responsibility rested with Ryan. His wide ministerial role covered climate, environment, transport and energy. This enabled him to shape the laws necessary to effect structural change.

Ryan resigned from politics last week, citing family commitments, and one day after he helped get the Nature Restoration Law into EU law.

While Ireland continues to underperform on emission reductions, the country’s trajectory has been fundamentally shifted. There are legally binding climate targets, a framework to deploy offshore wind, a vigorous housing insulation drive, and a shift in mobility budgets from road building to public transport, cycling and walking.

Of course the European political arena differs from the national level. Von der Leyen knows the Greens are keen to enter power, and once the new Commission is up and running, the Greens cannot credibly threaten to collapse it.

But the Irish experience shows – with pragmatism, focus and unity of purpose, the Greens can still have a serious impact, well beyond their 7.5% seat share.

[Donagh Cagney]

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[Edited by Rajnish Singh]

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