Progressive Democrats

(April 2008)

The Progressive Democrats (PD, Irish: An Páirtí Daonlathach; literally translated: The Democratic Party ) were a liberal party in the Republic of Ireland, which was founded in 1985. The Progressive Democrats were a few years, the fourth- largest party in the Republic and at European level member of the ELDR. After a series of disastrous election defeats the self- dissolution of the party was decided on 8 November 2008.

Chairman of the Progressive Democrats

  • Desmond O'Malley
  • Mary Harney
  • Michael McDowell
  • Mary Harney
  • Ciarán Cannon
  • Noel Grealish

History

The Progressive Democrats was founded in 1985 by Desmond O'Malley, a former Minister of Fianna Fáil governments under Jack Lynch and Charles J. Haughey. O'Malley was a bitter opponent of Haughey and was ultimately excluded from the Fianna Fail party for " unziemlichem behavior" when he would not support the oppositional stance of the party on the issue of contraception.

It was founded together with former Fianna Fáil members Mary Harney, Bobby Molloy and Pearse Wyse as well as the Fine Gael members of Michael Keating and Michael McDowell. All these people felt that the course of their respective party both in economic and social terms than not enough liberal.

In the 1987 election, the Progressive Democrats reached the third strongest result and immediately 14 seats (11.9%) - a result that could not keep the party.

But in 1989, four years after its inception, the Progressive Democrats formed a coalition government with Fianna Fáil. After the poor election result of Fianna Fáil in 1992, the coalition could not be continued. Later this year, O'Malley resigned and Mary Harney became his successor - and the first woman, who led one of the great parties of the Republic.

Since the 1997 election, the Progressive Democrats once again formed a coalition government with Fianna Fáil, which was also confirmed at the 2002 election. According to Harney, it makes no difference to them, with which party we form a coalition; The main thing that we could change things politically.

In the 2002 election, the party was able to double its earnings to eight seats. It is believed that the party had received votes from Fine Gael voters who wanted to prevent an absolute majority of Fianna Fáil and where the economic plans of Fine Gael were too " ruthless ". In the 2007 parliamentary elections the Progressive Democrats lost six of their eight seats, only Health Minister Mary Harney ( Dublin Mid West constituency ) and Noel Grealish ( Galway West Constituency ) able to defend their seats.

After the elections the previous coalition with the Fianna Fáil has been extended to the countryside.

On 17 April 2008 Ciarán Cannon was elected with 51 % of the vote as the new Chairman of PD.

On 8 November 2008, an extraordinary party congress decided the dissolution of the party, which was still actively involved in the government in Ireland by 201 to 160 votes.

Guidelines

The Progressive Democrats pursued a liberal economic policy, they supported free trade, low taxes and competition among companies. In the case of privatization, the party decided from case to case. While they advocated the privatization of Aer Lingus ( because without private capital they saw no future for the airline ) it blocked the privatization of Aer Rianta successful because this would set the monopoly of this company in private hands. The prison system in the Republic was to be privatized, as it was not profitable. Although the Republic of world's the highest percentage of supervisors per prisoner has (almost 1:1 ) expenditure on overtime are immense. This is a legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, during which the guards generous working conditions were pledged to counter the intimidation of Republican paramilitaries.

With regard to social assistance and public aid, the party was of the opinion "help only those who can not help themselves " and advocated a selective support and no general.

The Progressive Democrats supported low wage taxes and low taxes in general, to make work more attractive. It is felt that this policy is an important part of the Celtic Tiger.

Dermot McAleese, an economics professor at Trinity College in retirement, said in 2004 that the emergence of the Progressive Democrats in 1985 have had a positive impact on the economy than many annähmen, as many of today's economic provisions were part of their policy.

The party was often referred to as belonging to the right wing, but found themselves in the party program also various approaches that are classified are more left, eg:

  • Strong support of overseas development aid
  • 2000 Introduction of minimum wages (which at that time were the highest in the EU )
  • Support the Free University of choice
  • Support of general agreements regarding tax, salary and working conditions - agreed between unions, government and employers

The leader of the Progressive Democrats argued that the party could not be classified into a solid left-right scheme, since the ideas of liberalism included a mix of both.

662113
de