As the dust settles from the local and European Imperialist elections across the 26 Counties, the true story of its outcome can now be told.
Anti Imperialist Action Ireland asserts that the true story of the recent partitionist and pro imperialist elections is not the so called ‘victory’ of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil or Independents. It isn’t a break through of the far right or the perceived collapse of Sinn Féin. The true story of this election is the continued rejection of the Free State by the Irish Working class.
As Socialist Republicans, to make a proper analysis all establishment spin must be pushed to one side. When the figures are looked at coldly it is a simple fact that this election demonstrates that the working class are rejecting the Free State, as is evident from the fact that the overall turnout was just 48.2% across the 26 Counties. A massive 51.8% of registered voters made a conscious decision to Boycott the election and by extension the local institutions of the Free State and Imperialist European Parliament.
When the almost 52% of registered voters that Boycotted the election is added to the tens of thousands of people across the state who refuse to register to vote, then a clear picture emerges showing that the Irish Working class have no faith in the Free State, its partitionist institutions or its landlord class of politicians. The working class are also rejecting European Imperialism in Ireland by refusing to vote in EU elections. A significant section of the working class are now boycotting Free State institutions and Republicans must build on this to harness the Revolutionary Potential.
Only Irish Socialist Republicanism stands ready to develop this passive Boycott of the institutions of power into active revolutionary resistance. Active resistance can be built through the development of community based alternative Republican power structures across the country, beginning at the local level with Resistance Committees, building to centres of Resistance and on to Revolutionary People’s councils, Revolutionary Republican structures that can ultimately replace the Free State and British Imperialism in Ireland and become the functioning, democratic organs of the All-Ireland People’s Republic, Proclaimed in arms in 1916, under the democratic leadership of the Working class. This revolutionary alternative starts with the simple act of Boycott and can progress through the hard work of Republicans across the country into a revolutionary state within a state.
On the European Elections:
Along with the Free State, European Imperialism in Ireland was delivered a blow on June 7 with more than 50% of people in the 26 counties boycotting the election. Those ‘elected’ under such circumstances cannot democratically claim to represent or speak for Ireland, not least because six Irish Counties were barred from voting in the partitionist elections.
Ireland today is exploited by European Imperialism. The EU has destroyed our farming, fishing and native industry and our natural resources are being raped by Germany and France. Since long before Ireland joined the EEC in the 1970s the Republican Movement has opposed any role for European Imperialism in Ireland and the low turnout in the election demonstrates that a section of the Irish People are more and more coming to this position. Anti Imperialist Action Ireland further assert that the significant Boycott of the EU Elections in the 26 counties is a decisive defeat of the Free State plans to become more and more involved in EU Military operations and is a solid rejection by the Irish People of any role for NATO in our Country.
Like the rejection of the Free State in the local elections, the mass boycott of the Imperialist EU Parliament elections must now be built in to develop and active resistance campaign that popularises and ultimately wins a full Irish withdrawal from the EU.
Far Right Breakthrough or Protest Vote?
A final note that concerns all Anti Fascists. There was no far right breakthrough in the election. In every election, there is always a significant protest vote from working class people venting their anger against the Free State. In previous elections, this protest vote largely went to Sinn Féin and liberal parliamentary ‘left’ candidates such as the trots. However, the abject failure of Sinn Féin and the parliamentary ‘left’ to listen to working class communities led to them being abandoned by this protest vote and ‘left’ and right wing independents were elected instead.
The concerns of communities should not be dismissed and this protest vote should be harnessed as part of the building of any Revolutionary alternative into the developing of Alternative Republican power structures. Protest Voters already reject the Free state and imperialism in Ireland, they just need to be won around to the Revolutionary Republican Alternative. Republicans have a job to do to build up confidence in our communities, listening to and taking onboard there genuine concerns and working to build community based alternatives while at all times working to keep the fascists out.
In the coming years, Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland will continue to work with fellow Republicans and others to continue to build the Boycott of Free State and Imperialist Parliaments in Ireland as a simple step towards building the All-Ireland People’s Republic from the bottom up. If you want to play your part in the fight for the Republic of 1916 then it is time to join us today.
Boycott Elections- Build the People’s Republic.
An Phoblacht Abú