Vote for PM Ahern holds up in close Irish election

DUBLIN, May 25 (Reuters) Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern is in pole position to lead the next government, an exit poll showed today, but he may well have to find a new coalition partner if he is to secure a majority.

With counting after yesterday's general election due to begin shortly, an exit poll for broadcaster RTE indicated the vote for Ahern's Fianna Fail party had held up since the 2002 general election but support for his coalition partner had fallen.

Fianna Fail and the pro-business Progressive Democrats had a combined 44 per cent of the vote versus about 46 per cent five years ago. The most likely opposition government, known as the rainbow coalition, had support of 41 per cent.

Ahern, whose election campaign got off to a shaky start due to questions over his personal finances, will be glad backing for his party held up after some commentators predicted a meltdown in support ahead of the election.

Roger Jupp, managing director of Lansdowne Market Research which conducted the poll said the two sides were still close enough however, and it might be the early hours of tomorrow morning before the final outcome started to become clear.

''It's going to definitely be an extremely close, long process,'' he said of election counts around the country which are due to begin at 9 am (1330 IST).

REUTERS AE RAI1250