{{Short description|Political phrase in Irish politics}} {{use dmy|date=May 2026}}{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2026}} '''Vote Left, Transfer Left''' is a political phrase in Irish politics which gained prominence during the 2020 Irish general election and has been used thereafter. It encourages shared support among left-wing political parties via the single transferable vote electoral system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burne |first=Louise |date=2024-05-01 |title=People Before Profit call for 'vote left transfer left' pact but excludes Labour |url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/politics/people-before-profit-call-vote-32715934 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Irish Mirror |language=en}}</ref> In some cases, it has been codified into a formal electoral pact between candidates.
== Background == The 2020 general election, "Vote Left, Transfer Left" was discussed among voters of Sinn Féin, the Green Party, People Before Profit, Social Democrats and independent candidates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vote Left, Transfer Left? |url=https://cym.ie/vote-left-transfer-left/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250803122233/https://cym.ie/vote-left-transfer-left/ |archive-date=2025-08-03 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Connolly Youth Movement}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-19 |title=Transfers - success of ‘vote left, transfer left’ |url=https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/transfers-success-of-vote-left-transfer-left-8099738 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Kilkenny Live |language=en}}</ref> The pact encourages left-wing voters to transfer their votes to other left-wing parties.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Post-Connolly alliance seeks long-term change to left-wing politics |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2026/01/05/post-connolly-alliance-seeks-long-term-change-to-left-wing-politics/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> There was evidence of such transfers in counts for the 2024 general election.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Müller |first=Stefan |date=2024-11-17 |title=The Poll of Polls and transfer patterns |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1117/1481347-poll-of-polls-general-election-2024/ |work=RTÉ News |language=en}}</ref> People Before Profit openly endorsed the pact in their manifesto.<ref>{{Cite news |title=People Before Profit call on ‘all parties of the Left’ not to prop up Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil in next government |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections-2024/people-before-profit-call-on-all-parties-of-the-left-not-to-prop-up-fine-gael-or-fianna-fail-in-next-government/a997517396.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250408172835/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections-2024/people-before-profit-call-on-all-parties-of-the-left-not-to-prop-up-fine-gael-or-fianna-fail-in-next-government/a997517396.html |archive-date=2025-04-08 |access-date=2026-05-24 |work=Irish Independent |language=en}}</ref> The vote transfers had evidently increased since the 2016 general election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Projections |first=Irish Election |date=2021-04-05 |title=The Impact of ‘Vote Left Transfer Left’ in GE2020 |url=https://irishelectionprojections.com/2021/04/05/the-impact-of-vote-left-transfer-left-in-ge2020/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Irish Election Projections |language=en}}</ref> Following the 2025 presidential election, debate of a pact emerged for the next general election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heston |first=Joseph |date=2026-01-28 |title=The arrival of a ‘United Left’ in Irish politics is not a foregone conclusion |url=https://www.trinitynews.ie/2026/01/a-united-left-in-irish-politics-is-not-guaranteed/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Trinity News |language=en-US}}</ref>
In May 2026, Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats, ruled out any formal left-wing alliance ahead of the next general election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moloney |first=Aisling |date=2026-05-31 |title=Soc Dems leader Holly Cairns rules out formal left-wing alliance |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/soc-dems-leader-holly-cairns-rules-out-formal-left-wing-alliance/a/153490971.html |access-date=2026-05-31 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}</ref>
== 2026 by-elections == A "Vote Left, Transfer Left" pact was used in the 2026 Galway West by-election. Following the election of Catherine Connolly as president of Ireland, a new Galway-based political group called ''Tonn na Clé'' (Left Wave) began promoting a "vote left, transfer left" pact.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cullen |first=Róisín |date=22 March 2026 |title=Left wave looking to beat Govt in Galway West by-election |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2026/0322/1564554-galwaywest-byelection/ |website=RTÉ News}}</ref> In March 2026, it was reported that six candidates in Galway West proposed to agree a "Vote Left, Transfer Left" pact.<ref>{{Cite web |title=United Left Emerged in Galway West Bye-Election |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2026/04/title-united-left-emerged-in-galway-west-bye-election/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=universitytimes.ie |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kelly |first=Maxim |date=26 March 2026 |title=Six candidates agree historic election pact |url=https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/150118/six-candidates-agree-historic-election-pact |access-date=26 March 2026 |work=Galway Advertiser |publisher= |location=}}</ref>
It was promoted by the People Before Profit candidate in the 2026 Dublin Central by-election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ceannabháin |first=Eoghan Ó |date=2026-03-13 |title='Dublin Central left win could help end century of FF and FG government' |url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/news-opinion/a-left-win-dublin-central-33587775 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Dublin Live |language=en}}</ref> Five candidates attended ''Connigh Clé'' (Keep Left) events and endorsed the idea of a transfer pact but fell short of agreeing to a formal pact as had been done in Galway.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/dublin-central-by-election-7022100-Apr2026/|title=Candidates call for left transfer pact as Dublin Central competition gets off to friendly start|first=Jane |last=Matthews|work=The Journal.ie|date=24 April 2026|access-date=25 May 2026}}</ref>
Following the by-election results, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns celebrated the strength of the pact in the by-elections and endorsed the idea of similar pacts in future elections.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2026/05/25/left-wing-irish-government-within-touching-distance-says-holly-cairns/|title=Left-wing Irish government ‘within touching distance’, says Holly Cairns|first=Órla|last=Ryan|work=The Irish Times|date=25 May 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/sinn-fein-crossroads-holly-cairns-mary-lou-mcdonald-7050133-May2026/|title=Sinn Féin 'at a crossroads' and 'need to figure out where they're going', Holly Cairns says|first=Jane|last=Moore|work=The Journal.ie|date=24 May 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/opposition-parties-question-mixed-message-from-sinn-fein-after-by-elections/a/153029775.html|title=Opposition parties question ‘mixed message’ from Sinn Fein after by-elections|first=Gráinne|last=Ní Aodha|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=24 May 2026}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== See also == * Centre-left politics
Category:2020s neologisms Category:Political terminology Category:Left-wing politics Category:Politics of Ireland Category:Political party alliances in Ireland Category:Left-wing political party alliances