2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election

The 2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election was called by party leader Brian Cowen on 22 January 2011, when he announced that he was resigning as president and leader of the party. He remained as Taoiseach until after the 2011 general election.^[1]

2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election

← 2008 26 January 2011 (2011-01-26)

Candidate Micheál Martin Éamon Ó Cuív 1st preference 33 / 72 15 / 72 2nd count 36 / 72 18 / 72 Final count 50 / 72 22 / 72   Candidate Brian Lenihan Jnr Mary Hanafin 1st preference 14 / 72 10 / 72 2nd count 18 / 72

Leader before election Brian Cowen Elected Leader Micheál Martin

The deadline for nominations closed at 1 p.m. on 24 January, and the new leader was elected at a special Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting on 26 January. Micheál Martin was elected as the party's eighth leader.^[2][3]

Candidates

Standing

• Mary Hanafin – Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation^[4]
• Brian Lenihan Jnr – Minister for Finance^[5]
• Micheál Martin – Former Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Éamon Ó Cuív – Minister for Social Protection, Minister for Defence and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government^[6]

Declined to stand

• Conor Lenihan – Minister of State for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources^[7]

Results

Election: 26 January 2011^[8]^[9]
Candidate	1st count	2nd count	3rd count
Micheál Martin	33	36	50
Éamon Ó Cuív	15	18	22
Brian Lenihan Jnr	14	18	–
Mary Hanafin	10	–	–
Result: Micheál Martin elected leader.

Only TDs who were members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party were eligible to vote. Jimmy Devins rejoined the parliamentary party on 25 January, a day before the leadership election, bringing the total number of eligible voters to 72.^[10]

RTÉ News reported that Martin had received 33 first preference votes, compared to Ó Cuív's 15, Lenihan's 14 and Hanafin's 10; it added that the election ended on the third count, with Ó Cuív the runner-up.^[8] When Hanafin had been eliminated and her votes redistributed, Ó Cuív and Lenihan were equal on 18 votes each; Lenihan was then eliminated, having received fewer first preferences.

References

1. "Cowen resigns as FF leader, remains Taoiseach". RTÉ News. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
2. "Martin elected FF leader – As it happened". RTÉ News. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
3. "Micheál Martin elected as eighth leader of Fianna Fáil". The Irish Times. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
4. Kerr, Aine (24 January 2011). "Hanafin plays the gender card as she launches bid". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
5. "Martin, Lenihan put names forward for FF leadership". The Journal. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
6. McDonald, Brian (24 January 2011). "'Leftie' O Cuiv confident of a strong spell leading opposition". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
7. "Conor Lenihan decides not to contest FF leadership". The Journal. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
8. "Micheál Martin wants debates with FG & Labour". RTÉ News. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
9. "How they voted". Irish Independent. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
10. "FF leadership candidates address party". RTÉ News. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.