Independents in Irish party democracy

<p>This book examines the phenomenon of the independent politician believed to be extinct in most political systems. It is very much alive and well in Ireland and has experienced a considerable resurgence in recent years. Independents won a record number of seats in 2016 and had three ministers appointed to cabinet. This presence is very unusual from a comparative perspective and there are more independents in the Irish parliament than the combined total in all other industrial democracies.<br><br> The aim of this book is to explain this anomaly how and why independents can endure in a democracy that is one of the oldest surviving in Europe and has historically had one of the most stable party systems.</p>