Smaller parties can have a big impact on how Irish governments are run, whether by putting pressure on bigger parties or by joining coalition governments. A coalition is formed when a larger party, such as Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael, joins up with one or a number of smaller parties or independents in order to make up the numbers to form a government with majority support. This gives these smaller parties a chance to influence policy and highlight their own agendas.
So when you go to vote in Ireland, it pays to know about as many parties as possible and to really consider which ones you’d most like to see with the power to make change.
