The race for European Parliament seats has heated up this week with Saoirse McHugh’s announcement that she will run as an independent candidate in the Midlands North West.
The Achill island native performed strongly in the 2019 European election, starting as a total unknown to win 51,000 first preference votes. She subsequently left the Green Party in 2020 after they joined the coalition government and has surprised many with her return to politics.
“I hadn’t planned on running but I’ve just been observing the whole thing play out, everything seems to be moving in the wrong direction and there’s a real lack of leadership on important issues,” she told the Galway Advertiser, “I feel compelled to at least try to influence the debate on our future, to try and put forward a vision and give people the option of a progressive candidate.”
Commentators seem at a loss to predict the outcome in this sprawling, sixteen county constituency which now includes Laois and Offaly and has been bumped up to five seats.
“It’s a difficult constituency to canvas and even more difficult to predict, I just have to try my hardest and hope my message resonates with people. I’m hoping there’s an appetite out there for more forward-thinking and compassion than the divisive stuff we are hearing so much of lately. So many politicians are taking their lead off the angriest voices because they’re afraid of losing a few votes. They’re not leading, they’re just following and it’s dragging us all backwards.”
Saoirse will face a number of high profile candidates in this election and is under no illusion as to the challenge she faces but is determined to put her vision forward.
“All the crises we face, housing, cost of living, inequality, climate change are the result of policies and decisions, many made at EU level. If they can shape our society this way then we can un-shape it and redesign it. It just requires political courage and a motivated population, that’s why I’m urging people to not just vote but come out and get involved in something, organise in your community and shape our future because there’s a lot at stake,” she concluded.
