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Article: Fianna Fail has long-elusive majority in sights in Ireland's election
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- May 16, 2002
- Author:
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Dateline: DUBLIN, Ireland
Fianna Fail, habitually the largest party in Ireland, has a chance
to reclaim the Holy Grail of Irish politics in Friday's election _
a parliamentary majority.
Already confident of retaining power in a country savoring a long
economic boom, Prime Minister Bertie Ahern is playing down the prospect
that his Fianna Fail could seize more than half of Ireland's 166-member
parliament. That feat was achieved just once in Irish history _ by
Fianna Fail a quarter-century ago.
"It doesn't matter what polls say. It's the votes that count," Ahern,
50, said after five years in office and a largely trouble-free three-
week campaign.
Fianna Fail ...