Baby-boomers revolution! PP election coverage.

Day 513, 02:33 • Published in Ireland Ireland • by Aran Tal

Severin and Starks Hayter have won close elections to become the first party presidents from the so-called 'baby-boom' generation. Both defeated significantly more experienced candidates, and at least in the case of Starks Hayter, surprised their party colleagues with their popularity.

Elsewhere there was no change in the presidencies of the IFP, Fianna Fail or IF. The results, party by party follow.


IUP
Irish Union Party, 156 members, total poll: 48 (32😵

Previous President: Igor Thunderbrow

Candidates:
Severin, votes: 28 (58😵


Inquitus, votes: 20 (42😵



Reeling in the vacuum from Igor Thunderbrow's sudden vanishing-act, IUP-members were faced with a difficult choice for Party President, youth or experience, unexplored talent or the potentially jaded and familiar. The eventual closeness of the poll tells its own story.

Consummate old-hand Inquitus, a former President of both the IUP and eIreland herself, is one of the country's most respected politicians and soldiers. Though quieter now in public than before, Inquitus remains a formidable presence on the Irish political scene.

Severin, a noted journalist and one of the most prominent 'baby-boomers' in eIreland was recently appointed Minister for Information in recognition of his potential as a future leader. His youthful, occasionally naive, but always reserved and dignified manner has widely impressed on both sides of the ideological divide. As the only candidate to publish a manifesto, Severin, made it clear that he was not running an anti-Inquitus campaign, and posited that he would nominate the older player for President in May according to his wishes.

Conservative Ireland has a new face - David Bowie!






ISRP
Irish Socialist Republican Party, 110 members, total poll: 41 (38😵

Previous President: Theus Jackus

Candidates:

Starks Hayter, votes: 14 (34😵


Kiemar, votes: 9 (22😵

Thomas Page, votes: 7 (17😵

Sean Greene, votes: 7 (17😵

Kevin Hutchison, votes: 4 (10😵


To those outside the ISRP, it might have seemed in the last few days as if all hell had broken loose, but a meeting of sage party activists during Theus Jackus' retirement decided that the best interests of the party would be served by offering as many leadership options as possible (the smoke-filled room was on this occasion in my penthouse in Moldova). So of the six of us who attended that meeting four (Kiemar, Thomas Page, Starks Hayter and Sean Greene) offered themselves as candidates for party presidency, later joined by long-serving ISRP member Kevin Hutchison on the ballot.

This 'gang' of five is representative of the full and enviable array of talent in the ISRP and is encouraging for the Party's future. Starks Hayter's youthful exuberance contrasts with Thomas Page's quiet and staid confidence. Sean Greene's outspoken and humorous public persona contrasts with Kiemar and Kevin Hutchison's more reserved manners.

Although it looked from the outset like this poll would be a battle between one representative of the old-guard, Kiemar, and one of the 'new' ISRP, Sean Greene, the effect that Starks Hayter's personal popularity had on the vote was unforeseen.

Starks becomes the youngest party president in eIreland by a week.





IF
Ireland First - Eireann Chead, 76 members, total poll: 19 (25😵

Previous President: Top Gun


Top Gun re-elected unopposed.

No longer merely "Not Igor", elder-statesman Top Gun is still fresh as Taoiseach, he has made few waves and maintained his position of high esteem. It was fairly inconceivable that he might be challenged for the presidency of IF.




FF
Fianna Fail, 41 members.

Previous President: Anton Sidequest, automatically re-elected



Despite publicly appealing for someone new to take the mantle of FF president, Anton Sidequest is automatically returned to office as no candidate volunteered to take his place. Sidequest is Fianna Fail's only congressman.

Fianna Fail has officially stagnated. The party remains the fourth largest in eIreland by a single member, but despite continual calls for submissions on a way to reshape the party its members have remained silent. Apart from Sidequest the party is without a strong presence in the media and embarrassingly, vocal member enoofu has recently defected to the IUP.

Originally Swedish, Sidequest now faces a difficult job, while combating his own ennui, to either re-ignite or abandon Fianna Fail altogether. Having failed to attract any high-profile 'baby-boomers' perhaps the latter is the better option.





IFP
IFP - Success Is Our Downfall, 39 members, total poll: 4 (10😵

Previous President: 5n4keyes


5n4keyes re-elected unopposed.

Unsurprisingly, professional courtier of controversy and newly appointed caretaker Minister of Defence, 5n4keyes is returned to office unopposed. A master-tactician of electoral politics, 5n4keyes is a colourful character and can always be relied upon to set off fireworks in the most civil conversation.

Having inherited his cabinet driver and staff from his most vocal opponent, the MoD might change beyond all recognition, but expect no daring reforms of the IFP.





Non-Parliamentary Parties

IP
The Irish Party, 16 members, total poll: 2 [12%]

Previous President: xintron

Candidate: Thomas Oliver elected unopposed.

IP finally changes its president as skulker Thomas Oliver gets his two gold's worth, previous incumbent xintron having gone inactive several months ago.




IDP
Irish Democratic Party, 11 members.

Previous President: shadowking, automatically re-elected.

Apart from shadowking, this journalist has never met a member of IDP, and does not believe they really exist. IDP members are like a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.