Results from Ireland’s election suggest the two dominant center-right parties look likely to form a new government

Vote counting is underway in Ireland’s national election. An exit poll suggests the contest is a close-fought race among the country’s three largest political parties.

Ireland's two large centre-right parties looked set to be returned to power after an election on Friday, but will likely need at least one smaller partner to secure a majority, raising questions over the stability of the next government.

LONDON — Ireland faces weeks of coalition talks before it gets a new government, as the country’s two major center-right parties work to form a stable administration. With all but a handful of seats filled in the 174-seat legislature on Monday after three days of counting election ballots,

Ireland is heading for a return of the coalition government led by Prime Minister Simon Harris’s Fine Gael party and Fianna Fail, as voters bucked a recent international trend of ousting incumbent parties.

Michéal Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil, is the frontrunner to be the next taoiseach (Irish prime minister).

Ireland prepared on Sunday to reshuffle the same big parties into a new government after a general election returned incumbents that have channelled record corporation tax receipts into higher spending.