{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/9a03fe9e-1ff0-4dcc-b3f6-50bd1f016ea4/121b9264-d373-47a4-bf21-28487bbdd5cb?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Sinn Fein and Sardines","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/6195701f2eacc3a36070252a/619570bccb3c660012e3d064.jpg?height=200","description":"<p>We talk about two countries going through dramatic democratic change: Ireland, where Sinn Féin came top of the vote in last weekend's general election, and Italy, where the Sardines are the latest movement trying to shake up the system.&nbsp;What does the Irish vote tell us about the collapse of two party politics?&nbsp;Does Sinn Féin's success suggest that the party has changed or that the electorate has changed?&nbsp;And in Italy, who or what now stands between Salvini and power?&nbsp;Plus we discuss whether the age of 'grand coalition' politics is now over.&nbsp;With Niamh Gallagher, Lucia Rubinelli and Chris Bickerton.</p><p><br></p><p>Talking Points:&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>In 1997 Sinn Féin got only 2% of the vote, in the recent Irish general election they got almost 25%. What explains this shift?</p><ul><li>In the 90s, the party was still connected to the IRA and the politics of Northern Ireland.&nbsp;</li><li>Sinn Féin voters today skew young (under 45). Their major concerns are issues such as the cost of living, rent, and healthcare.&nbsp;</li><li>The party ran and won on a leftist platform.</li><li>The leadership has also changed. Gerry Adams stepped down in 2018. The new leader, Mary Lou McDonald is less connected to the past.</li><li>The electoral system also makes a difference. Sinn Féin ‘won’ with 25% of the vote; Labour lost with 40%.</li><li>Brexit did not feature heavily in this election, even though Leo Varadkar had a ‘good’ Brexit by most accounts.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Meanwhile, in Italy, movements and parties are again in turmoil. Is Five Star done?</p><ul><li>A movement has less institutional heft than a traditional political party. This is both their strength and their weakness.&nbsp;</li><li>What about the Sardines? They started as a flash mob in Bologna and call themselves a ‘phenomenon,’ rather than a movement or a party. Their objective is to counter images in the media put forward by Salvini.</li><li>Meanwhile, Salvini is still inching closer to power on his own.&nbsp;</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Are we seeing the end of grand coalition politics?</p><ul><li>Coalitions today tend to destroy one of the partners (for example, the Lib Dems).</li><li>Sinn Féin certainly doesn’t want to be a junior partner, but it might want to prove that it can be a party of government.&nbsp;</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Mentioned in this Episode:</p><ul><li><a href=\"http://davidmcwilliams.libsyn.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The David McWilliams Podcast</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ireland-and-the-great-war-9781788314626/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Niamh’s book, <em>Ireland and the Great War</em></a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Further Learning:&nbsp;</p><ul><li><a href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51386410\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">A profile of the Irish political parties</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2020/02/what-uk-left-can-learn-italy-s-new-sardines-movement\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">More on the Sardines</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.talkingpoliticspodcast.com/blog/2018/129-democracy-for-young-people\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">David’s lecture, Democracy for Young People</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>And as ever, recommended reading curated by our friends at the LRB can be found here: </strong><a href=\"http://lrb.co.uk/talking\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>lrb.co.uk/talking</strong></a></p>","author_name":"David Runciman and Catherine Carr"}