🇮🇪 Ireland

The head of state is a directly elected President (Uachtarán), who serves a seven-year term and holds a largely ceremonial role. Real executive power rests with the Taoiseach (prime minister) and the cabinet, who must command the confidence of the lower house of parliament. Dáil Éireann has had between 158 and 174 members (TDs) in the period since 2015, elected for terms of up to five years. General elections use the single transferable vote (PR-STV) in multi-seat constituencies of three, four or five members. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, candidates are elected on reaching a quota, and surplus and eliminated-candidate votes transfer according to lower preferences. Elections and referendums are administered by returning officers in each constituency under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with results published by the Houses of the Oireachtas; an independent statutory Electoral Commission (An Coimisiún Toghcháin) took over oversight functions from 2023.

Figures from official electoral authorities — see Data & Methodology. Last updated 2026-11-02.