FIANNA FAIL LEADER Micheal Martin has indicated that Bertie Ahern will not run for the Aras on the party’s ticket.
Speaking to RTE’s News at One, Martin said:
I don’t think Bertie Ahern will be a candidate for the next presidential election.
He said that Ahern as a non-runner was “my assessment” and that the former taoiseach had “not communicated any desire” to Martin or his party colleagues to go for the Aras.
Earlier in the same interview, Martin denied that MEP Brian Crowley’s interest in running for FF as a presidential candidate had waned. Martin said he reserved the party’s right to choose a candidate in the coming weeks. A statement released by the party today confirmed that Fianna Fail had held a meeting last week to discuss the forthcoming election. It stated:
Given that the election is not until near the end of the year and that the nominations process has yet to begin, we intend to take the next month to decide on a definitive party position on the nomination.
The party said it believed that the presidency was “above politics” and that the holder should be a “unifying national figure”. It said it wouldn’t be against the nomination of independent candidates and “will permit party representatives to facilitate the candidacy of individuals who they believe should have the right to stand before the electorate”.
Do you think Bertie should run for the Aras?
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say