Farmer FG voters switching allegiance to FF

Significant numbers of Fine Gael voters have switched allegiances to Fianna Fáil, a new poll has revealed.

Farmer FG voters switching allegiance to FF

Significant numbers of Fine Gael voters have switched allegiances to Fianna Fáil, a new poll has revealed.

One in 10 (11%) of farmers who voted for Leo Varadkar’s party in the last general election say they will change their support to the main opposition party next time around, according to the Irish Examiner/ ICMSA survey.

However, the trend does not go the other way, with just 3% of farmers who gave top preference to Fianna Fáil in 2016 indicating they would switch to Fine Gael if an election was held in the morning.

While four out of five (80%) of Fianna Fáil supporters will stand by the party in the next election, just 66% of those who voted for Fine Gael last time would give them their first preference again.

The results will no doubt give both parties food for thought on the timing of the next election. The Taoiseach has signalled he wants to go to the polls next May.

However, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has only promised to keep the Fine Gael-led government in power through the extended confidence-and-supply agreement until after the upcoming budget. Mr Martin has indicated the election could be held in early spring.

Fine Gael remains the most popular party with 29% of farmers stating they would be most inclined to give their first preference to it. However, its ratings are slipping and it has fallen from a high of 40% in 2017. Fianna Fáil, however, has steady support and has remained on 25% over the past three years.

The poll also indicates growing voter apathy or disengagement with this year’s survey recording the highest level of people who said that they don’t know who they would give their first preference to if a poll were to be held tomorrow.

About 28% of farmers questioned are uncertain of who they would vote for. This figure increases to two out of every five farmers under the age of 35 and a further 13% said they would not vote at all.

Meanwhile, there has been an increase in the proportion of people who would elect an Independent TD or a candidate from one of the smaller parties or groupings up five points on last year to 10%. Labour is on 1%, with Sinn Féin on 3%.

All parties are likely to pay attention to today’s findings given the high voter turnout among those involved in agriculture. About 84% of farmers polled said they cast their ballot in the 2016 general election.

Older farmers are still more likely to support the two main parties, 34% of those over the age of 65 said they would give their first preference to Mr Martin’s party, while 31% said Fine Gael would be their preferred party.

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