Ben Fraser

Exceptional, searing column from Mark O’Connel.

So much of the centrist approach to politics has devolved into "How do we trick people into supporting us like the right has done?" where talking sincerely about policies that might help ordinary people's lives is for naïve schmucks who don't understand the glorious theatre of it all

"As the left-wing bloc of opposition parties revels in Connolly’s victory as a signal of broader change... Ireland continues to buck trends in both European politics and globally."

Great piece from @unamullally.bsky.social on what the Presidential says about Ireland's international posture/profile.

"Watching the post-election story unfold, it is hard to avoid the feeling that political exclusion is only a problem if the wrong people are being excluded."

🎯 in this excellent piece on #Áras25 by @benfraser.bsky.social

#IrishPol

No Spoilers How the story of the Presidential Election has been reworded

Another good piece of writing from @benfraser.bsky.social on how the story of #Aras25 has shifted to focus not on a left-wing victory, but on right-wing grievances.

"If they wanted a right-wing candidate, they need only have followed the rules and nominated one."

Thanks!

"It is worth reflecting on what impact this broad-spectrum poisoning of the well had on this election and the lasting effects it may have on our politics."

If voting changed anything, they would de-legitimise it.

#Áras25 #VotingTheRightWay

No Spoilers How the story of the Presidential Election has been reworded

I wrote about how the post-election story is being written and for whom. You can read it here: medium.com/@ben_fraser/...

#speirgorm #Aras25 #Aras2025

Really interesting, smart analysis.

A Presidential Show The campaigns testing the limits of our credulity

I enjoyed reading this thought-provoking essay on the #Aras25 campaigns by @benfraser.bsky.social

A Presidential Show The campaigns testing the limits of our credulity

I wrote about the Presidential campaign and the test is has posed to our collective credulity:

medium.com/@ben_fraser/...

#Áras25
#SpeirGorm

"...they have found it hard to dislodge the public from their basic assumption that Connolly is, most likely, exactly what she looks like: an unpretentious Irishwoman of significant talent & well-documented principle."

Great piece by @benfraser.bsky.social 👏

#Áras25

This is terrific from @benfraser.bsky.social
medium.com/@ben_fraser/...

Thanks a lot Annie, glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks Una! Glad you enjoyed it!

Emerging cross-border dynamics in Ireland's anti-migrant mobilisation Anti-migrant sentiments have united former foes on both sides of the Irish border. Northern Irish Loyalists and Irish Republicans have voiced online support for each other and crossed the Irish border...

New from my colleague @disinfozo.bsky.social at @isdglobal.org examining the emerging alliances between Irish far-right groups (so called "nationalists") south of the border with Northern Irish loyalists and the British far-right:
www.isdglobal.org/digital_disp...

What Mamdani has done, with support from AOC and Bernie, is make the sides in the fight clear. It's the cynical, regressive uniparty of the oligarchy against the hope of ordinary people. And while that's expressed in wildly different ways in different contexts, this is the division that matters now.