Sinn Fein Wins Its 1st Parliament Seat in Irish Elections
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DUBLIN, Ireland — With returns trickling in from Ireland’s national elections, Sinn Fein--the political arm of the Irish Republican Army--scored a breakthrough Saturday by winning its first-ever seat in parliament.
The winners for all 166 seats in the Dail, the key lawmaking chamber, won’t be known until at least today because of the complex system of proportional representation.
Ireland’s largest party, Fianna Fail, was certain to take the most seats in Friday’s vote, with at least 75 projected. Party leader Bertie Ahern topped the poll in his four-seat Dublin Central district, as did his older brother, Noel, in the four-seat Dublin Northwest.
The final count should determine whether Fianna Fail’s alliance with the conservative Progressive Democrats will have the 84 seats required to form a government.
If not, Prime Minister John Bruton’s “Rainbow” coalition would have a chance to return to power.
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