2008 Fianna Fáil leadership election

2008 Fianna Fáil leadership election
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Candidate Brian Cowen
Percentage Unopposed
Leader before election

Bertie Ahern

 Elected Leader

Brian Cowen

The 2008 Fianna Fáil leadership election began on 2 April 2008, when party leader and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announced his resignation. Brian Cowen, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance was the clear favourite to succeed him.[1][2]

Candidates

Standing

Declined to stand

Outcome

On 2 April Mary Hanafin declined to comment on whether she would be standing for the leadership and Brian Lenihan had ruled himself out of the race.[4] By 4 April all of the Fianna Fáil cabinet ministers had declared their support for the candidacy of Brian Cowen. No other candidate emerged, and Cowen was elected unopposed as the seventh leader of Fianna Fáil on 9 April 2008.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Behind the smugness is a clueless Brian Cowen". Irish Independent. 27 January 2008. Archived from the original on 6 April 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  2. ^ "Cowen feels 'positive about the soul of the country'". Irish Independent. 17 July 2006. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  3. ^ "The other Dermot Ahern". The Sunday Business Post. 29 January 2006. Archived from the original on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  4. ^ "No Hanafin comment on FF leadership". RTÉ News. 2 April 2008. Archived from the original on 4 April 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  5. ^ "FF elects Brian Cowen as leader". RTÉ News. 9 April 2008. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2008.