Earlier this month TV presenter Gráinne Seoige was selected to contest the upcoming General Election in Galway West for Fianna Fáil; Aoife McGowan discusses the trends and actions of Irish celebrity politicians.
Earlier this month TV presenter Gráinne Seoige was selected to contest the upcoming General Election in Galway West for Fianna Fáil. This may seem an unlikely choice for the party: exactly what qualifications does judging a TG4 dating show provide a hopeful TD? Probably not much more than winning the Rose of Tralee, or being a champion jockey, or boxer, or RTÉ presenter– all backgrounds of recently elected Irish public officials that had no direct previous political experience. Globally it seems that political experience has lost out in favour of fame to the voting public: from Donald Trump launching into the American political mainstage as a reality TV personality, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy transitioning from acting to politics by starting a party named after his hit TV show.
Celebrity candidacy may seem like a new trend in Ireland; the change may not be in the electorate or candidate selection processes, but in how fame itself operates. Election campaigns in Ireland are often more focused on a candidate’s personality and profile in the local area than on policies or track-record in office. In the past, this was more localised, where GAA players or local business owners had an advantage in winning local and general elections, already known and trusted in their communities. Today with the rise of social media and increased celebritisation of media personalities and sportspeople, there are more people who are famous than ever across the country, with unprecedented access to the public through their personal social media followings.
For Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, running celebrity candidates offers a way to rehabilitate their image and reach a broader electorate, particularly as they may be hesitant to engage with voters on policy as their coalition government faces criticism for their handling of the worst housing and cost of living crises in the history of the state.
Most celebrity candidates run for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, both economically centre-right parties with generally progressive attitudes to social issues. These parties, traditionally seen as the dominant forces in Irish politics, have increasingly run well-known figures from outside the political sphere. The appeal of these celebrities lies in their ability to connect with voters on a personal level while embodying aspirational values of individual success and economic stability. For Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, running celebrity candidates offers a way to rehabilitate their image and reach a broader electorate, particularly as they may be hesitant to engage with voters on policy as their coalition government faces criticism for their handling of the worst housing and cost of living crises in the history of the state.
...both spent significantly more campaign time making lifestyle and personality-driven social media content than engaging with the issues facing Irish voters.
In their campaigns, many celebrity candidates for government parties refrain from discussing their political views or the party’s policies. In the recent European elections Fine Gael’s celebrity candidates in Midlands-North-West Nina Carberry, Grand National champion jockey, and sitting MEP Maria Walsh, 2014 Rose of Tralee, both spent significantly more campaign time making lifestyle and personality-driven social media content than engaging with the issues facing Irish voters. In one buzzfeed-style campaign video Walsh compared American and Irish snacks, briefly interrupting to list her top three priorities: “Support farm families… improve rural infrastructure… and supporting SME small businesses,” before continuing to declare her preferences for American Doritos and Ireland’s Supermacs chicken burger. Nina Carberry’s campaign focused almost exclusively on social media content, with the candidate facing criticism for not appearing on any of the televised debates for the constituency.
The performance of Irish celebrity politicians in office has varied significantly, with some successfully navigating the transition from public life to politics, while others have faced challenges in establishing their political credibility. Following her election to the European Parliament in 2019, Maria Walsh has followed the Fine Gael and European People’s Party policy on every vote. Her adherence to the party line has caused some controversy, particularly on her endorsement of the EU Migration Pact, which has been criticised by many on the left for being inhumane and violating the rights of migrants, and by those on the right for being too lenient and for giving the EU precedence on immigration law over individual member states. Walsh has also been criticised for her support for the EPP despite European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen’s outspoken support of Israel during the ongoing military assault on Gaza and the West Bank, with some critics questioning Walsh’s ability to form her own positions outside of her party.
However, both Walsh and Carberry won their seats comfortably, the pull of name recognition out stripping performance and policy when it came to the ballot box. For now, celebrity politicians are here to stay.