Ezra Levant reported that conversations with residents in Galway ahead of today’s by-election revealed a striking consensus: voters uniformly favor socialism, globalism, and open borders.
The sentiment echoes Margaret Thatcher’s warning: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”
This scenario is unfolding now in New York City with Zohran Mamdani, where policies advocating free services are displacing wealthy taxpayers. Yet for smaller nations like Ireland—both economically robust and relatively insulated from consequences—the question remains: how long can they sustain such practices?
With a population of just over five million, Ireland has become a European hub for major American corporations. Its low-tax environment draws businesses maintaining offices and staff there. The same principle underpinned Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to route Brookfield Asset Management through tax havens like Bermuda and the Isle of Man.
On paper, Ireland boasts one of the world’s highest GDPs—exceeding $160,000 per capita. This wealth has delayed consequences of poor policy choices, including government overspending and unregulated mass immigration.
These challenges are at the forefront as Ezra Levant reports from Galway West, where voters head to the polls in a by-election triggered by Ireland’s current president departing the parliamentary seat.
The race features candidates known for dissenting views on core issues, including Noel Thomas. A former mainstream party member expelled after criticizing immigration policies, Thomas has championed anti-establishment causes, recently joining truckers and farmers protesting high fuel prices nationwide.
Over the past two decades, Ireland has welcomed approximately one million newcomers. Today, nearly one in five residents was born abroad—a demographic shift for a nation that historically fought to preserve its distinct identity, including through rebellion against British rule.
By-elections, with low turnout and localized impact, provide an ideal platform for voters to express radical preferences without expecting national change.
Ezra Levant found Galway voters view socialism, globalism, and open borders as natural extensions of their nation’s prosperity. They argue: if Ireland is wealthy enough to afford generosity, why not extend it to foreign migrants? Such alignment often serves as a form of virtue signaling.
