After much speculation, Sinn Féin have just announced McGuinness will be their presidential candidate. Not a surprising choice but will undoubtedly stir up debate.
Some move from Sinn Fein if true, he's more popular than the rest put together. Doubt he'd get enough votes to make the Aras though. All the other parties will rally as one to keep him out. Will make for a fascinating campaign now in fairness.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0916/president.html Sinn Féin is expected to put Martin McGuinness forward as its candidate in the Presidential election. The move has been approved by the party's officer board and is expected to be ratified at a meeting of the party's Ard Comhairle on Sunday. It is understood the decision was mulled over at the highest ranks within Sinn Fein for several weeks. The Derry born 61-year-old has been in the United States since Sunday with Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and will not return until tomorrow. He has had a number of transatlantic calls with Gerry Adams and others and that is how he confirmed his availability to contest the election.. It is likely that he will step aside from his position as deputy first minister at Stormont and the party will appoint a deputy. Whether or not he returns to Stormont will be decided by the election result. "This is a time of great challenge for all the people of Ireland. We need positive but authentic leadership. It will be a great honour for me to propose Martin McGuinness to contest this election on a broad, republican, citizen-centred platform," said Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams this evening. "I believe that this election will give Martin the platform to continue the work which he has led in the North and in the peace process and to put it on a national footing." Elsewhere, Senator David Norris is to appear on The Late Late Show on RTÉ tonight to discuss his renewed attempts to secure a nomination. Mr Norris reactivated his attempts to secure a nomination by meeting Independent TDs yesterday. He pulled out of the race in August over the controversy concerning his former partner Ezra Nawi. The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party is to decide on Tuesday whether to allow TDs and Senators to nominate candidates. Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú sought support from his colleagues to run as an Independent. Speaking on Morning Ireland, Senator Ó Murchú said that he decided to run because he "felt that the actual campaign was turning into a circus." The Co Tipperary native said that he had been approached during the summer about running, but a more substantive effort was made to put him forward last week. "Last week then I had some approaches from people, both inside and outside Fianna Fáil, asking me to go forward because they felt the more representative views that were brought forward in the campaign, the more beneficial that would be to the office of the Presidency," Mr Ó Murchú said. When asked why he was opting to run as an Independent rather than under the Fianna Fáil banner, he said that Fianna Fáil had already made a decision not to nominate a candidate. Mr Ó Murchú said that decision could not be reversed. The backing of 20 members of the Oireachtas is needed to get on the Presidential ballot paper, which makes the signatures of the 33 Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators very valuable indeed. The party will not be nominating a candidate of its own, but now it is coming under pressure to use those signatures to nominate Independent candidates. Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell, Labour's Michael D Higgins and Independents Mary Davis and Sean Gallagher have been confirmed as candidates.
Defo going to make this interesting race and will rattle some cages Cant see him getting enough votes though
If one of your loved ones was killed by the IRA, I think it would do more than "rattle your cage" to see McGuinness standing for President. However, I agree, as you say, he won't be elected.
If elected he'll only draw down the average industrial wage which straight away is a pain in the hole for the other candidates because it makes the money an issue. I think even sinn fein know he won't win but it will be good for publicity and political points scoring.
yeah, it wouldn't go down too well internationally if we had a former ira commander for president. don't think the queen would be up for another visit any time soon if he got in
That aspect would not worry me unduly, lots of precedent worldwide, Fidel Castro...Gusmao etc... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanana_Gusmão
Oh no not the Queen. I'm over the moon to see Martin McGuinness in the race and he will get my No 1 vote.
a good few people look on castro as a revolutionary rather than a terrorist though. even if they wouldn't admit it. never heard of that gusmao fella, seems like an interesting person so cheers for the link
So we're talking about presidents and terrorists. I'll be amazed if this thread doesn't turn into an attack on America somewhere down the line.
Big countries make war and little countries make terrorism . Thats the way it is because thats what we are told , by the big countries . The fight is over ( for the most part ). Lets forget and let peace continue. If Martin gets the job his staff will toe the line I bet .
The man has blood on his hands, shouldnt be allowed anywhere near the aras, we dont need a president full stop
Mc Guinness isn't seen as just a "former IRA man", in the same sense as many other former members of the IRA are by a lot of people.. he's seen as someone who's owned up to his IRA past, but has then gone on to assume a very statemanlike position as DFM in the 6 counties.. he has also been known as "SF's Chief negotiator in the PP talks", so he can very legitimately claim to have had a key role in ending the IRA campaign and bringing peace to the island... I do know many people who aren't SF, who would have great time for Martin.. a lot more than Gerry for example.. Can he win, personally I am not sure.. but I do think he could get between 15/20% of the vote.. which would be a huge result for SF...
The Queen has blood on her hands too Ger, I'm not a supporter of what they did and the people that were killed down through the years but you can't label Martin like that all his life, he has done wonders in the North and he is a fabulous man. Another debate for another time.
The queen has??? Maybe her descendants have. Martin Mc Guinness did play a signifigant part in the peace process, does that entitle him to become the figurehead of this state, IMO no it doesnt!! You cant say he done wonders in the north, he was also a major antagonist of the troubles up there, Fair play to him for the part he played in the peace process but he was directly responsible for innocent people losing their lives in the north.