People Before Profit–Solidarity
Pobal Roimh Bhrabús–Dlúthphairtíocht
AbbreviationPBPS or PBP–S
LeaderCollective leadership
Founded2015 (2015)
Preceded byUnited Left
IdeologySocialism[1]
Political positionLeft-wing
European affiliationEuropean Anti-Capitalist Left
Colours  Red
Members
Dáil Éireann
5 / 160
[2]
Local government
10 / 949
[2]
Website
pbp.ie
letusrise.ie
solidarity.ie

People Before Profit–Solidarity (Irish: Pobal Roimh Bhrabús–Dlúthphairtíocht, PBPS or PBP–S)[3][4] is a left-wing electoral alliance in the Republic of Ireland. It was formed by members of two socialist political parties of Trotskyist origin, People Before Profit (PBP) and Solidarity.[1][5] Solidarity was known as the Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA) until 2017.[6] Since September 2019, the alliance also included the RISE party founded by Paul Murphy. In early 2021, RISE became fully integrated into PBP.[7][8] The alliance was formed in 2015 and replaced AAA and PBP in Ireland's official register of political parties;[9] however, each entity retains its separate organisation and identity, and the PBP also retains its own registration in Northern Ireland. The alliance was created with the intent to obtain more speaking rights for its constituent members in Dáil Éireann after the 2016 Irish general election.[10]

Both the PBP and the Socialist Party (SP) are all-Ireland organisations but do not form part of a single electoral alliance in elections in Northern Ireland. The PBP contests elections under its own name, while the SP is part of the Cross-Community Labour Alternative. The electoral alliance between the PBP and Solidarity supports anti-capitalism, socialism, and eco-socialism, and promotes Irish reunification through a socialist European federation.[11][12]

Background

Under the standing rules of order in Dáil Éireann, a parliamentary group must have five TDs or more in order to have full speaking rights. In addition, political parties which get 2% or more of the national vote receive extra funding from the state for political activities. Combining the seats and votes of People Before Profit and Anti-Austerity Alliance would increase the chance of reaching these thresholds. An electoral alliance called United Left Alliance had been previously tried by People Before Profit and other left-wing groups in the early 2010s, and in many ways served as a precursor to this alliance.

The electoral alliance sought to provide a greater socialist voice in parliament, and a political platform committed to abolishing water charges, Universal Social Charge for low-middle income earners, and other austerity measures implemented in Ireland. The alliance claims to represent the 57% of people who boycotted the payment of water charges, and claims to provide a genuine working-class voice in parliament.[13] The alliance has been described as a "remarkable abeyance of decades-old sectarian conflict between the Socialist Workers Party underlying PBP and the Socialist Party underlying AAA."[14] Solidarity and People Before Profit announced its intention to organise separately and to remain free to maintain different political positions on various issues, but intend to cooperate electorally while maintaining their own identities and structures.

AAA de-registered as a party, while PBP changed its registered name to AAA–PBP and added AAA members to the renamed party's list of nominated representatives.[15] This technical distinction caused a legal question regarding the co-option of a member of Cork City Council to replace AAA member Mick Barry after Barry's election to the Dáil in the 2016 election.[15] It was argued that, since the party for whom Barry was elected in 2014 was no longer registered, the party he represented when vacating his council seat in 2016 did not have the right to nominate a replacement.[15] Harry McGee, a columnist for The Irish Times, commented that it was difficult to tell the difference between People Before Profit and the AAA.[16]

In 2019, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy formed RISE, a new political party which immediately became the alliance's third member.[17][18] Rise later merged with People Before Profit in February 2021.[19] In 2020, the group changed its registered name to People Before Profit–Solidarity, reflecting People Before Profit's increasing dominance of the grouping.[20]

Electoral history

Ahead of the 2016 Irish general election, there were four AAA–PBP TDs: Joe Higgins, Richard Boyd Barrett, Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy. Boyd Barrett was first elected to the Dáil at the 2011 Irish general election, while Coppinger and Murphy were both elected at by-elections, in May and October 2014, respectively. Higgins retired with the dissolution of the 31st Dáil, while the other three sought re-election. They ran 31 candidates at the 2016 Irish general election. On 25 January 2016, the group launched a set of "common principles", and later released separate party manifestos.[21] Six TDs were elected.

At the 2019 Irish local elections, Solidarity–PBP won 11 seats, a loss of 17 seats from their combined total at the 2014 Irish local elections. At 2020 Irish general election, Solidarity–PBP returned five TDs, three from PBP, one from RISE, and one from Solidarity.

Dáil Éireann

Election 1st pref
votes		  % Seats ± Government
2016 84,168 3.9 (#5)
6 / 158
 Increase 2 Opposition
2020 57,420 2.6 (#7)
5 / 160
 Decrease 1 Opposition

Local elections

Election 1st pref
votes		  % Seats ±
2019 32,883 1.9
11 / 949
 Decrease 17

European Parliament

Election 1st pref
votes		  % Seats ±
2019 38,771 2.3 (7th)
0 / 13
 Steady

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Nordsieck, Wolfram (2016). "Ireland". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 Th seat count includes the totals of People Before Profit and Solidarity.
  3. ↑ "Clár nua Gaeilge 'Solidarity' le seoladh ag Oireachtas na Samhna inniu". Tuairisc.ie. November 2019. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  4. ↑ "10 key points from Solidarity-People Before Profit's election manifesto". RTE. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  5. ↑ Enda O'Doherty, "Slightly constitutional", Eurozine, 18 May 2020.
  6. ↑ "AAA set to change name to Solidarity". RTÉ.ie. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017. The party says the left-wing Dáil grouping currently known as the AAA-PBP will become known as the Solidarity - People Before Profit.
  7. ↑ RISE joins People Before Profit Archived 28 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "'The left is pulling together': Dublin TD Paul Murphy has joined People Before Profit". Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Register of Political Parties 16 October 2015, accessed 15 November 2015" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "Anti Austerity Alliance and People before Profit to launch new party". The Irish Times. 16 September 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Election Manifesto 2020" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  12. ↑ McDonald, Karl (21 February 2020). "Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to kick off talks after Sinn Féin fails to elect Taoiseach". i. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  13. ↑ "Statement on the Anti Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit initiative". Anti-Austerity Alliance. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Elitist far-left has gained traction but its fascism is affront to democracy". 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 English, Eoin (30 March 2016). "AAA bid to replace councillor deferred". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  16. ↑ McGee, Harry (9 October 2015). "People Before Profit and the Anti Austerity Alliance – spot the difference". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  17. ↑ Lehane, Mícheál (26 September 2019). "Paul Murphy leaves Socialist Party to set up new group". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  18. ↑ Finn, Christina (30 September 2019). "Paul Murphy unveils new political grouping called RISE". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  19. ↑ Meskill, Tommy (March 2021). "Dublin TD Paul Murphy joins People Before Profit". RTÉ.ie. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  20. ↑ "Register of Political Parties" (PDF). Oireachtas. 9 December 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  21. ↑ "AAA-PBP launch 'common principles'". 25 January 2016. Archived from the original on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
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