Irish Grand Alliance Sparring Begins as Kenny to Win Most Seats

  • Irish PM Kenny's Fine Gael to finish 10 seats ahead of rival
  • With no party have majority, historic grand alliance possible

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny talks to the media at the vote count for the general election in Castlebar.

Photographer: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images
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Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny’s Fine Gael is on track to remain biggest party in the nation’s parliament, as politicians sparred over the prospect of forming a unprecedented grand coalition to stave off the instability roiling Spain and Portugal.

At 8:30 p.m. in Dublin on Sunday, 145 of the 158 seats were filled. Kenny’s Fine Gael had 46 seats, Fianna Fail had 42 seats, with Sinn Fein taking 22. Fine Gael will probably finish 10 seats ahead of its closest rival, Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said in an interview with RTE on Sunday.