The Irish Freedom Party (IFP) had its registration cancelled by the Electoral Commission in June 2026 primarily due to internal conflict as a result of which the state claimed to be unable to verify who was actually running the party. The commission took that as an opportunity to shut the party down.
The Official Reason
On June 23, 2026, the Registrar of Political Parties gave notice of his intention to remove the IFP from the Register of Political Parties under the Electoral Reform Act 2022. The Electoral Commission stated they had received two separate applications seeking to update the party’s details on the register. However, the information provided in each application was insufficient. When viewed together, the two applications contained conflicting claims about the party’s structure according to the Irish Times.
Electoral Commission
Despite repeated requests for clarification, the Electoral Commission claimed that neither application could demonstrate that the party was complying with the legal requirements needed to remain registered. As a result, the Registrar decided that it was legally obligated to cancel the party’s registration.
Leadership Split
“Conflicting applications” submitted to the Electoral Commission were the result of a severe factional split within the party. Two rival groups have been engaged in fighting for control of the IFP. Both factions claimed to be its legitimate leadership. Controlled opposition have been successfully used over the last two decades to divide and splinter republican and nationalists.
The Two Factions
The Two Factions consist of the Hermann Kelly Faction: Kelly had been the party president since its foundation in 2018. The Michael Leahy Faction: Leahy, the party chairman, led an executive committee that opposed Kelly.
In May 2025, the conflict erupted when a number of party members passed a motion to remove Kelly as president. Kelly retaliated by calling a party Ardfheis (annual conference) in September 2025 where he was re-elected. Leahy’s faction declared this meeting wasn’t sanctioned by the party and was therefore invalid and they officially moved to expel Kelly from the party in October 2025.
Conflicting Paperwork
Because both sides submitted conflicting paperwork to the Electoral Commission regarding the party’s officers and details, the Commission concluded that the state could no longer legally recognize the IFP as a functional, compliant political party.
The Electoral Commission’s decision is subject to a standard 21-day appeal period which would a resolution to submit an agreed application which is not likely. That doesn’t mean the demise of the party but without registration, the party cannot field candidates under the Irish Freedom Party banner in Dáil, European, or local elections.