After 15 years in power, what is Fine Gael in 2026?
After 15 years in power and 11 years in some form of partnership with Fianna Fáil, many delegates at Fine Gael's Ard Fheis were pondering this question as members met in Cork.
As many delegates attended the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Cork, they pondered the party's future after 15 years in power. The group, established by Simon Harris since his leadership in April 2024, released a report that concluded Fine Gael lacked a clear identity. This theme was echoed in discussions about the Commission for Renewal report.
Delegates expressed concerns about being consumed by Fianna Fáil, expressed uncertainty about clearly articulating core values, and insisted on proudly declaring the party's Christian Democrat centre-right principles without pivoting to the left.
Party leader Simon Harris addressed the delegates, focusing on traditional Fine Gael themes of tough law and order and making work pay. He emphasized penalties for long-term unemployed individuals who refuse to engage with services to rejoin the workforce, declaring the dole a safety net, not a way of life. While Harris's crackdown on welfare cheats might appeal to core supporters, it is not entirely novel, as Heather Humphreys and Leo Varadkar had previously highlighted similar issues.
However, Harris's speech did not present a new vision for Fine Gael; instead, it seemed to be a compilation of existing themes. The issue appeared to be that Fine Gael had not moved beyond invoking the legacy of previous leader Leo Varadkar, portraying the party as the choice for those who begin each day with determination and work diligently.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
