Governing Northern Ireland: The Dance of the DUP and Sinn Féin
Can Devolved Government Work in Northern Ireland with the dup and Sinn Fein as the helm?
Devolution In Northern Ireland, has constantly entailed an exacting balance that is frequently characterised by the relationship shared between the two main political parties: the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin. The deep-rooted historical divides between the leading parties has caused the long-lasting fragility within government, that has grinded the nation to a halt on several occasions in recent years. In this blog post we delve into the ever-evolving relationship between Sinn Fein and the Dup, alongside their impact on successful devolution in Northern Ireland.
To understand devolution in Northern Ireland It is essential to take a brief look back into Northern Ireland’s stormy past in order to fully understand the current circumstances. The Troubles, a period of protracted sectarian violence that took the lives of over 3500 people, left behind wounds that still influence political discourse and decision-making procedures today (Bosi & Di Fasio, 2017). The troubles were ended by the Good Friday agreement of 1998 and following agreements attempted to bring the leading parties together to provide a stable government in Northern Ireland.
Now let us look closer at the key parties in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein, the political arm of the Irish republican movement, has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades. Once considered the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Sinn Fein has evolved into a key player in Northern Ireland’s devolved government, advocating for Irish reunification and representing the nationalist community. Led by figures like Gerry Adams and now by Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin has made significant gains, becoming the largest parties in terms of vote share. Their political platform focuses on issues such as social justice, equality, and the rights of Irish speakers. Sinn Féin’s impact on devolution has been profound. The party has held positions such as Deputy First Minister, with figures like Martin McGuinness playing crucial roles in power-sharing agreements with the DUP and now with the party’s recent success in election the first minister post for Northern Ireland is currently held by Michelle O’Neill.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
Founded in 1971 by Ian Paisley, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) stands as one of the most prominent parties in Northern Ireland. Known for its strong unionist stance, the DUP advocates for Northern Ireland’s continued status as part of the United Kingdom. Over the years, the party has been influential in various aspects of governance, particularly during the peace process and in the establishment of the devolved institutions (King, 2008). However, the DUP’s influence on devolution has not been without controversy. Issues such as the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal, Brexit, and social policy disagreements have led to periods of instability within the Northern Ireland Assembly. Despite this, the DUP remains a significant force in Northern Irish politics, shaping the discussions and decisions within the devolved government.
The Relationships Impact on Devolution
The devolved administration of Northern Ireland is based on the relationship between the DUP and Sinn Féin. Due to the power-sharing agreement, commonly referred to as the ”mandatory coalition,” these parties must collaborate in the Executive to guarantee the representation of both unionist and nationalist positions (Doyle,2018). Although necessary for inclusivity and shared government, this approach has led to problems in periods of instability. Political deadlocks have resulted from issues such Brexit, the Irish Language Act, and historical disagreements over flags and parades that have brought the Executive and Assembly to a halt (Murtagh & Shirlow, 2012). The collapse of the power-sharing institutions in 2017, due to disagreements over a renewable heating scandal, highlighted the fragility of the arrangement. It took three years to restore the Executive, a period marked by direct rule from Westminster and growing frustration among the public. However, the return of devolution in 2020 marked a significant milestone, offering hope for continued progress and cooperation. The New Decade, New Approach agreement, brokered by the UK and Irish governments, provided a framework for addressing key issues and restoring public trust. But this was again proved insufficient as the assembly was brought to a halt following disagreement over recent elections and the fallout of the Northern Ireland protocol.
Moving forward
The relationship between the two political parties will undoubtedly continue to shift as Northern Ireland moves closer to a shared future. The divisions between the two will continue to influence the region’s future until there are changes made to enable a more prosperous and stable Northern Ireland for all.
So, what changes can be made?
The need for change is clearly needed however any change will need to be seen by the leaders in Stormont before it begins to seep into the countries social structure and tensions eventually subside. In recent times we have seen steps being taken through the DUPs (Democratic Unionist Party) acceptance of a Sinn Fein first minister but that must be seen as a first step towards a full commitment to further political stability.
Bibliography
Bosi, L., & De Fazio, G. (2017). Contextualizing the Troubles: Investigating Deeply Divided Societies through Social Movements Research. In L. Bosi & G. De Fazio (Eds.), The Troubles in Northern Ireland and Theories of Social Movements (pp. 11–32). Amsterdam University Press.
John Doyle. (2018). Reflecting on the Northern Ireland Conflict and Peace Process: 20 years since the Good Friday Agreement. Irish Studies in International Affairs.
Murtagh, B., & Shirlow, P. (2012). Devolution and the Politics of Development in Northern Ireland. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 30(1), 46-61.
King, S. (2008). In from the Cold: The Rise to Prominence of the Democratic Unionist Party since 2003. The Irish Review (1986-), 38, 1–12.
This is an extremely informative blog post that arrives at an interesting time in Northern Ireland’s political landscape. Arriving in the aftermath of the devolved institutions once more coming together to work again. I thought that it was a good choice by the author to introduce both the DUP and Sinn Fein to the reader as local politics can often be confusing for those from outside NI. The author has introduced important issues that pertain to Sinn Fein such as issues regarding Irish language and equal rights for all citizens. It is also important to note of Michelle O’Neill’s ‘First Minister for All’ messaging. After discussing the stances on the DUP, especially their boycotts of the devolved government, the author importantly discusses the SF and the DUP’s rapport throughout Stormont’s existence post-1998. I particularly thought that it was strong of the author to mention the clashes that have arisen from issues such as Brexit and legislation to strengthen the positioning of the Irish language in NI. Despite mentioning these contemporary issues, the author also referred to past cultural issues which have plagues their relationship. I also believed the author’s mentioning of the fact that stormont continued to be halted after the signing of the New Decade New Approach agreement to also be extremely informative for those who are not aware of the difficult issues surrounding NI’s political landscape.
This blog post intrigued me due to its extremely relevant nature. The author did an excellent job in discussing why devolution is in place as well as describing the characteristics of each party. Agreeably, both the DUP and Sinn Fein have been important players in the transition from the Troubles to the more peaceful society that we can enjoy today. However, as the author realises neither have been without scandal. Recently, the chief of police resigned after the court found him guilty of bowing to political pressure from Sinn Fein, which the party has denied. (Politico, 2023) The former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been arrested for historical sex crimes. (Belfast Telegraph, 2024) This has produced an extremely fragile relationship between the two which translates into political life in Northern Ireland in negative ways, to the extent that sometimes devolution simply has not worked. I agree with the author that the future looks hopeful since the DUP has taken their seats again at Westminster, but this is extremely tentative. Any small thing could upset the fragile political climate and put us back to square one. To improve this blog, the author could have briefly explained what devolution actually is to benefit anyone not originally from NI.
This is a great read on the summary and discourse of Northern Irish politics. The second paragraph is very important because it highlights how much these issues continue to shape contemporary discourse in Northern Ireland and this is important to those who may not understand Northern Irish politics – it is a poignant sentence which encapsulates generational trauma and political division that still exists today.
It may have been helpful to mention, regarding the impact on devolution, the controversy of the St. Andrews Agreement – how that fits in to the political tensions of the government of Northern Ireland. Equally, in the moving forward section, I find that the recent growth of the Alliance Party and the increasing middle-ground ‘Northern Irish’ identity may have been helpful additions for readers in explaining that the binary mould of NI politics may be breaking. Overall, it is a fantastic summary.
This is a very interesting blog post taking on a very topical discussion which is the stability of the power sharing institutions. The author does a good job at providing important context as to why governance in Northern Ireland can be difficult, an often overlooked point. Moreover, this context sets up the blog to take on a specific focus on the two prominent parties in NI, the DUP and Sinn Fein.
The blog post is well structured and easy to follow. Looking at the historic nature, the current state of government and then looking forward into the future makes for a very interesting read. The blog does a good job at explaining the roles and beliefs of the two main parties, the discussion on NDNA is very interesting and provoking in terms of the issue with power sharing. Lastly, given the rise of the ‘third party’ APNI it would have made for interesting nuance to the blog. Overall it was a very informative blog post.
There are areas that could have been further explored to add depth to the discussion. Perhaps it would have been useful to explain why Stormont institutions have collapsed sighting the political and social reasons behind this. Moreover, it may also have been useful to look at issues parties had with the GFA that contribute to Stormont’s perceived weakness.
This is a good blog post which skilfully examines the two parties that have dominated politics in Northern Ireland for the last 17 years. This is also a timely post, as it coincides with the recent re-establishment of the Assembly and Executive following the DUP’s boycott of the institutions over the Northern Ireland Protocol. The author summarises well the divisions between the DUP and Sinn Fein, with their predictable impact on the stability of government in Northern Ireland.
Some points for improvement: the author fails to provide an unbiased examination of the negative impact of each party on the institutions. It is true to say that the DUP has been the source of political and governmental impasse, but so too has Sinn Fein, most famously when the party refused to form an Executive for three years from 2017-2020.
The post would also benefit from looking at some of the proposals for change. One suggestion is that the rules should be changed so that it takes more than one party to collapse the institutions. Analysing some of these proposals would have strengthened the author’s argument.
This post is very well organised have very well referenced that adds to the argument around how devolution within the Northern Irish system works and the history behind why devolution was used within Northern Ireland (NI) and why it was necessary. This blog post was also very engaging because of the current state of politics with NI, with a recent return to Stormont increasing the engagement of this article for the reader. The author has also explained very well the issues that effect the parties in power, Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), very well promoting an argument of how the relationship between these parties work. To improve this Blog post, the author could review the emergence of parties like Alliance that attempt to unite the political divide between Nationalism and Unionism and its effects on devolution within Northern Ireland.