2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election
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The 2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election was called by party leader Brian Cowen on 22 January 2011, when he announced that he was resigning as president and leader of the party. He remained as Taoiseach until after the 2011 general election.[1]
The deadline for nominations closed at 1 p.m. on 24 January, and the new leader was elected at a special Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting on 26 January. Micheál Martin was elected as the party's eighth leader.[2][3]
Candidates
Standing
- Mary Hanafin – Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation[4]
- Brian Lenihan Jnr – Minister for Finance[5]
- Micheál Martin – Former Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Éamon Ó Cuív – Minister for Social Protection, Minister for Defence and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government[6]
Declined to stand
- Conor Lenihan – Minister of State for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources[7]
Results
| Election: 26 January 2011[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | 1st count | 2nd count | 3rd count | ||
| Micheál Martin | 33 | 36 | 50 | ||
| Éamon Ó Cuív | 15 | 18 | 22 | ||
| Brian Lenihan Jnr | 14 | 18 | – | ||
| Mary Hanafin | 10 | – | – | ||
| Result: Micheál Martin elected leader. | |||||
Only TDs who were members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party were eligible to vote. Jimmy Devins rejoined the parliamentary party on 25 January, a day before the leadership election, bringing the total number of eligible voters to 72.[10]
RTÉ News reported that Martin had received 33 first preference votes, compared to Ó Cuív's 15, Lenihan's 14 and Hanafin's 10; it added that the election ended on the third count, with Ó Cuív the runner-up.[8] When Hanafin had been eliminated and her votes redistributed, Ó Cuív and Lenihan were equal on 18 votes each; Lenihan was then eliminated, having received fewer first preferences.
References
- ^ "Cowen resigns as FF leader, remains Taoiseach". RTÉ News. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
- ^ "Martin elected FF leader – As it happened". RTÉ News. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
- ^ "Micheál Martin elected as eighth leader of Fianna Fáil". The Irish Times. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
- ^ Kerr, Aine (24 January 2011). "Hanafin plays the gender card as she launches bid". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ "Martin, Lenihan put names forward for FF leadership". The Journal. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
- ^ McDonald, Brian (24 January 2011). "'Leftie' O Cuiv confident of a strong spell leading opposition". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ "Conor Lenihan decides not to contest FF leadership". The Journal. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ a b "Micheál Martin wants debates with FG & Labour". RTÉ News. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
- ^ "How they voted". Irish Independent. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
- ^ "FF leadership candidates address party". RTÉ News. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.