Ireland election sees likely return of incumbent Fine Gael-Fianna Fail coalition

Irish exit polling suggests that the incumbent center-right parties could likely form a coalition government, though vote counting continues on Sunday and the left-wing Sinn Féin remains in the running.

Center-right party Fine Gael was the first choice of 21% of voters, and another center-right party, Fianna Fáil, had 19.5%, according to an Ipsos B&A poll, which asked 5,018 voters across the country how they had cast their ballots.

The two parties, which governed in coalition before the election, would need the support of smaller groups or independents to achieve a majority in the 174-seat Dail, the lower house of Parliament. 

Left of center opposition party Sinn Féin was at 21.1% support, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.

IRELAND VOTES IN A CLOSE-RUN ELECTION WHERE INCUMBENTS HOPE TO CLING ON TO POWER

People arrive to cast their votes at the polling station at St Laurence O’Tooles National School in Dublin, Friday Nov. 29,…