Ireland election: Center-right parties predicted to maintain control, while left-wing Sinn Fein remains strong.

According to Irish exit polling, the center-right parties are likely to form a coalition government, but vote counting is ongoing and Sinn Féin, a left-wing party, is still in contention.

In the Ipsos B&A poll, 21% of voters chose Fine Gael, a center-right party, while Fianna Fáil, another center-right party, received 19.5% of the vote. The poll surveyed 5,018 voters across the country.

To achieve a majority in the 174-seat Dail, the two coalition parties would require the backing of smaller groups or independent MPs.

The poll showed that the left-wing opposition party Sinn Féin had 21.1% support, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.

The two center-right parties have not yet obtained the 88 seats required for a majority, and coalition negotiations may take weeks as Europe anticipates a possible upheaval caused by President-elect Trump's return.

In the 2020 election, Sinn Féin surpassed all other parties in the popular vote, but was unable to form a government due to the refusal of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to collaborate with it, citing its leftist ideology and historical links to the Irish Republican Army during the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland.

Despite the possibility of Sinn Féin becoming the largest party in the Dail, it may face challenges in forming a government due to the refusal of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to partner with it during the election campaign.

According to Michael Gallagher, a former Trinity College Dublin political science professor, Fianna Fáil could secure up to 48 seats and Fine Gael 39, resulting in a total of 88 seats, based on vote tallies.

According to Reuters, Gallagher stated that the most evident coalition partners would be center-left parties Labour and the Social Democrats, who could potentially gain eight seats each.

A Sinn Fein-led government in Ireland would challenge the political landscape and potentially impact the future of the United Kingdom. As the largest party in Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin would push for a referendum on Irish reunification in the near future. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has stated that the party has "broken the political mold" in Ireland.

"The end of two-party politics is a significant development, as she told the Associated Press while waiting for results at a count center in Dublin. "Now, the question is, what do we do with that?""

The poll results do not definitively determine which parties will form the next government in Ireland, as the country uses a complex system of proportional representation that can take time to fully understand.

The housing crisis and mass migration were the main topics discussed during the three-week campaign, with Ireland's acute housing crisis being a significant concern in a country of 5.4 million people known for emigration.

The election results will reveal if Ireland defies the global norm of incumbents being removed after years of pandemic, international turmoil, and cost-of-living strain.

Despite their parties' poor performance, Simon Harris of Fine Gael and Micheál Martin of Fianna Fáil are still the front-runners to be the next Taoiseach.

Paschal Donohoe, a Fine Gael candidate and outgoing government minister, stated that the primary theme of the election was "keeping the center together."

In Europe, where incumbent governments are facing challenges in getting re-elected, Fine Gael, one of the two larger parties in the government, is expected to deliver a strong performance.

The Green Party, having held 12 seats in the previous parliament and supported the ruling coalition, admitted that they were likely to experience a poor outcome.

Gerry "the Monk" Hutch, a reputed organized crime boss, has gained support since being bailed on money-laundering charges in Spain this month and is running for election among a large crop of independent candidates.

Dublin seat was likely to be won by him based on early results.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.