Calls for a leadership discussion within Fianna Fáil have intensified as senior members publicly question Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s future at the helm of the party.
Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart told RTÉ News that members were “actively talking” about the leadership, aligning himself with colleague John McGuinness, who earlier said the party would need a new leader “in the not too distant future.”
Lahart said that recent political developments, including the outcome of the presidential election, had accelerated the need for internal reflection.
“It is a conversation that the party needs to have. The events of the last few weeks, the result yesterday, and the outcome of the result have brought that conversation forward,” Lahart said.
He acknowledged the deep respect many members still have for Martin’s 14-year leadership, but admitted that the presidential election result revealed “an error of judgment that will have consequences.”
Reports from within Fianna Fáil suggest growing unrest among TDs, with several claiming that ten of the required 12 signatures for a potential no-confidence motion in the Taoiseach have already been secured.
Party sources close to Martin, however, dismissed suggestions of a “heave,” saying a formal review of the presidential campaign was already underway and would be completed within weeks.
Government officials are also preparing to unveil major housing and infrastructure plans, which they believe will refocus the party’s message amid internal dissent.
‘A Shocking Embarrassment for the Party’
Lahart added that Irish politics had become increasingly polarised, saying: “The centre has not held politically and a left-right divide has been created for the first time. I don’t think Fianna Fáil can just sit back and observe that.”
McGuinness, a TD for Carlow–Kilkenny, was even more direct, describing the presidential campaign as “a shambles” that exposed deep flaws in the party’s internal structures.
Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week, he said: “They were not consulted, councillors were not consulted, TDs were not consulted, the national executive was not consulted – so as a result of that inaction, we have arrived at a situation where the campaign itself turned into a shambles.”
McGuinness criticised the decision to select Jim Gavin as the party’s presidential candidate, describing it as a “contrived majority” led by the party leadership and unelected advisers.
He said the mishandling of the campaign was “a shocking embarrassment for members of the party” and showed the need for Fianna Fáil to “reinvent itself for the future.”
The TD argued that the party’s current polling position—around 17%—mirrored its standing in 2011, saying that the leadership must take responsibility.
Asked directly if the leadership team, including the Taoiseach, bore most of the responsibility, McGuinness replied: “Yes. The selection of Jim Gavin came at a time when the leadership team decided that Billy Kelleher should not be the candidate.”
He added: “The whole election exposed weaknesses within Fianna Fáil and was a shocking embarrassment for the party.”
Calls for Change Within Ten Days
McGuinness said it was now essential to begin “an open discussion within the next 10 days” about the direction of Fianna Fáil, including its leadership.
While some insiders suggest Martin could remain as Taoiseach until the end of Ireland’s presidency of the EU Council in December 2026, McGuinness said the party “cannot wait until then.”
“Quite frankly, I think the party must reflect immediately on what happened and take the appropriate steps,” he said. “It is the majority view that there needs to be a root-and-branch change.”
Editing by M10News Political Desk | Contact: politics@m10news.com
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