An end to “ Civil War politics ” ? The radically reshaped political landscape of post-crash Ireland

The European debt crisis has impacted on electoral politics in most European states, but particularly in the Republic of Ireland. The severe nature of the economic crash and the subsequent application of austerity policies have brought large fl uctuations in political support levels, with the three parties that have dominated the state since its foundation e Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour e all being adversely effected. The extent of these changes is highly controlled both by geography and by class, with political allegiances proving to be highly fl uid in certain parts of the state. Growing support levels for left wing parties and groupings, but most notably Sinn Fein, appear to be moving Irish politics away from the old “ Civil War ” style of politics and bringing it more into line with the traditional class cleavage politics of continental Europe