Irish Prime Minister Ahern Within Grasp of Third Term

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: Bloomberg

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern won enough support in a general election yesterday to put him within grasp of a third successive term in office, an exit poll shows.

Ahern's Fianna Fail took 41.6 percent and its coalition partner, the Progressive Democrats, got 2.6 percent, according to an exit poll for state broadcaster RTE. Enda Kenny's Fine Gael secured 26.3 percent; its Labour Party ally polled 9.9 percent. Counting of votes began at 9 a.m.
...
Paddy Power Plc, Ireland's largest bookmaker, today cut the odds on Fianna Fail forming the first single-party government in two decades to 4-5, meaning a successful five-euro wager would win four euros. The same bet last night would have paid 100 euros.
...
A future coalition could also include the Green Party, which increased its share of the vote to 4.8 percent. Ahern has ruled out governing with Sinn Fein, which is allied to the Irish Republican Army.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=a4.6.wpz8SYA&refer=uk