Irish Election Called For End Of February

ed to the official residence of the President, Michael D Higgins, to request the dissolution of parliament.

With the number of seats reduced from 166 to 158 and boundaries changed in all but one constituency, the outcome is harder than ever to predict.

Polls suggest the election will result in the fourteenth coalition government since Dail Eireann (Ireland's Parliament) was established.

The liberal conservative Fine Gael party has held office with Labour for the past five years.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the leader of Fine Gael, has already been campaigning on the need to sustain the economic recovery.

Labour, led by Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Joan Burton, is likely to highlight her party's role in last year's historic vote for same-sex marriage and to pledge another referendum on abortion.

Fianna Fail in the centre right - the former republican party - once dominated Irish politics.

Having lost 58 of its 78 seats last time, it will hope some voters return to the fold.

But this will be the first General Election since Sinn Fein established a firm foothold.

Gerry Adams' party trebled its representation in 2011 and its members of parliament have been fiercely critical of austerity measures.

The Greens, like the Lib Dems in the UK, were hammered after serving as junior coalition partners (2007-2011) but are hoping for a comeback.

Two new parties - Renua Ireland and the Social Democrats - have expressed frustration with establishment politics and are demanding economic and political reform.

But independents could be significant - polls suggest they have 30% of the electorate behind them.

For decades, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour have tended to form governments in Ireland.

This is the first election in living memory where that traditional two-and-a-half party system may not apply.

It is also the first with a compulsory gender quota. At least 30 percent of candidates must be female or parties risk losing state funding.

Voters will go to the polls just weeks before Ireland marks the centenary of the 1916 "Easter Rising" against British rule.

With Britain renegotiating the terms of its EU membership, Ireland will be keen to form a government as quickly as possible.

Ireland has more to lose than most if its closest neighbour votes to leave the EU in a referendum.