2011 Irish general election

The 2011 Irish general election took place on 25 February 2011 to elect the 166 members of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of Ireland's parliament, the Oireachtas. Held amid a sharp economic downturn and the eurozone crisis, the election swept Fianna Fáil from power on one of the largest swings in Europe since 1945 and resulted in a Fine Gael–Labour Party coalition with a record majority.

Traditionally Ireland's dominant party and in government since 1997, Fianna Fáil's support declined after the near-collapse of the banking sector in 2008. With the economy in a deep recession, Taoiseach Brian Cowen's Fianna Fáil–Green Party coalition passed four austerity budgets and became highly unpopular. The government collapsed following its application for an international bailout in late 2010, which saw the so-called Troika take control of state fiscal policy. Cowen resigned as Fianna Fáil leader days before the Dáil was dissolved.

Because of the EU–IMF bailout, the election was seen internationally as significant for the future of the euro. While a glut of outgoing TDs opted to retire, a record number of candidates stood. With Fianna Fáil polling at historic lows, the campaign became a contest between the main opposition parties. Labour under Eamon Gilmore had surged to first place in polls in 2010, precipitating a failed attempt by Fine Gael frontbenchers to remove Enda Kenny as their party leader. By 2011, however, Fine Gael had a clear lead, and surveys during the campaign put them close to an overall majority. Amid high unemployment and a vast budget deficit, each party attacked the other: Labour were branded a high-tax option while Fine Gael were accused of favouring brutal spending cuts.

The election saw Fianna Fáil slide to third place and lose more than two-thirds of its TDs, a record decline at a Dáil election. It was the party's worst-ever result by far; its vote collapsed with every social group and in every region. Three of the six sitting cabinet ministers who contested the election lost their seats, and the Green Party was wiped out entirely. Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin each won record seat totals, and an increased number of independents were elected. For the first time in its history, Fine Gael became the largest party. After it and Labour agreed a programme for government, Enda Kenny was elected Taoiseach by the 31st Dáil on 9 March 2011.