TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said it will be “challenging” for Fine Gael to keep its European Parliament seats in the upcoming elections in June.

Speaking to reporters during a trip to the United States this week, Varadkar said it would be “hard to achieve” the same outcome as the 2019 elections where it soared above Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, securing five seats and 29% of the vote.

Previous polling from January by The Journal and Ireland Thinks suggests that the Taoiseach could be correct in his assessment as figures shows Fine Gael was pulling in 19% of voters at the time.

“It’s going to be challenging to hold what we have, but of course that’s the objective,” Varadkar said.

The Fine Gael party is also dealing with the losses of two heavy hitters, as Dublin MEP Frances Fitzgerald and Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune both announced they will not be contesting in the June elections.

Last month, the party found its replacement for Fitzgerald after it selected Senator and former social protection minister Regina Doherty to contest on behalf of the group in Dublin.

Last week, the longest, currently-serving MEP Seán Kelly was reselected by the group to contest in Ireland South, while former Bord Gáis CEO John Mullins was also chosen to run alongside Kelly, in the hopes to replace Clune.

“I think that’s going to be hard to achieve, quite frankly, because we did so well last time. But we’re very good candidates at European and local level, and I think they have a very good chance,” Varadkar said today.

Polling, as of January, showed that Sinn Féin holds a strong lead over Fine Gael with the electorate – pulling in 26% of the vote in the earliest stages of the race.

Varadkar last week was also questioned on how Fine Gael might favour in the Parliament with the possibility that more seats will be awarded to right-leaning, anti-European candidates in June.

Varadkar ruled out any possibility that the European People’s Party (EPP) – the Parliamentary grouping which Fine Gael is a part and a founding member of – would work with parties from either side of the radical political fringes.

However, the Taoiseach said the EPP will continue to work with those who see eye-to-eye with them and that working with far-right and far-left candidates has proved possible before.

Varadkar told The Journal that the situation would “depend on whether they respect European values and the rule of a law fundamentally”. 

The European elections are set to be held some time between 6 – 9 June, with current plans strongly suggesting that 7 June will be the polling date.

Includes reporting by Press Association

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