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Ireland's two major parties to discuss forming gov't

Xinhua, March 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

Ireland's Fine Gael (United Ireland Party) and its main rival Fianna Fail (Republican Party) are set to begin discussing the formation of a government and their positions on negotiations on Thursday, according to state broadcaster RTE.

This was the first time that the parliamentary parties for both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will meet since last week's general election.

Despite suffering heavy losses, Fine Gael retained the largest party status in the 32nd Dail Eireann, lower house of Irish parliament, according to final election results on Thursday.

As vote counting concluded at all count centers across the country, all 158 Dail Eireann seats were filled. Fine Gael secured 50 seats, only six ahead of its main rival Fianna Fail.

Gerry Adams' Sinn Fein made a historic breakthrough to win 23 seats. The party is now the third largest in terms of members of parliament in Ireland.

Fine Gael became the largest party in Ireland after the 2011 general election. It then formed a coalition government with the Labor Party, with the Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny serving as Taoiseach (prime minister). Kenny has led the party since 2002.

Labor had 33 seats when the 31th Dail Eireann dissolved early this month and took a serious thumping in the latest poll, only winning seven seats, securing the party's speaking rights in the Dail Eireann.

Fine Gael and Labor fell far short of required 80 seats for a coalition government for the next five years.

Both independents and smaller parties made huge gains, wining 34 seats in total.

On Friday, Irish voters went to the polls in a general election described as one of the most unpredictable in recent times. Enditem