Yes indeed. Looks like gay marriage will be happening then in NI!

Yes indeed. Looks like gay marriage will be happening then in NI!

 

Well that looks like the only bit of good news for the election. Surely the DUP have better ways of spending their time than trying to block gay marriage against the tide of most of the modern world's thankfully more equal values now. I know they may have feared losing votes from the mostly older more hardline conservative unionist electorate but I would say if they hadn't have continued to veto gay marriage they would have got more votes rather than less, as younger, more liberal unionists may have voted for them.

 

*lights a candle for the SDLP-UUP dream*

*EDIT* The SDLP-UUP-Alliance dream. If it ever came that these three got higher votes than SF and DUP combined, I am guessing that a three party power sharing agreement could legally take place.

 

Would the result tonight make a United Ireland more closer....

 

Well not all Sinn Fein voters support a united Ireland, but I would say support for it amongst nationalists must have increased as a result of Brexit.

Edited March 4, 20178 yr by The Wise Sultan

Is there a possibility that Sinn Fein would go in to government with one or more of the other parties and resign the DUP to the opposition.

They can't do that. Technically all the parties can enter a powersharing government but last time some didn't and went into opposition!

 

Sorry only seeing this now as I've been analysing the results all weekend. Whoever said NI politics was boring above clearly doesn't understand politics here lol. For the first time in the states history there is a majority of nationalists in government! The reaction of unionism will be interesting to see. Let's hope we get a new executive though.

 

This election really was the perfect mix of brexit/RHI corruption/Mike Nesbitt telling UUPers to transfer to SDLP with disasterous consequences for unionism which led to SF running the DUP close. And although the DUP are still the largest party they will be severely wounded with many asking Foster to go.

 

In other news NELSON MCCAUSLAND LOST HIS SEAT - PRAISE BE TO JESUS!!!!

Edited March 6, 20178 yr by Steve201

I don't really want to see the UUP and DUP merge, as has been suggested, there should be a more moderate unionist party (a sort of unionist SDLP) and thats what the UUP should be aiming to become.

They tried to do that with Mike and it didn't resonate - it's difficult as there's little manoeuvre room as most votes Alliance rather than pump for the UUP. And other than Jim Allister the DUP have free reign on the ground between him and alliance. I would also have issue with people calling the UUP 'moderate anyway considering their policies.

Not that clued up on Northern Irish politics but it seems gay marriage is finally gonna happen across the whole UK so the result of this one can only be a good thing! It would've been incredible if Sinn Fein had managed to get the most seats.

-

Edited March 7, 20178 yr by The Wise Sultan

-

Edited March 7, 20178 yr by The Wise Sultan

Not that clued up on Northern Irish politics but it seems gay marriage is finally gonna happen across the whole UK so the result of this one can only be a good thing! It would've been incredible if Sinn Fein had managed to get the most seats.

 

Well being from Northern Ireland and not wanting the same two parties being so dominant again, the loss of the DUP's veto against gay marriage is the only good thing.

 

They tried to do that with Mike and it didn't resonate - it's difficult as there's little manoeuvre room as most votes Alliance rather than pump for the UUP. And other than Jim Allister the DUP have free reign on the ground between him and alliance. I would also have issue with people calling the UUP 'moderate anyway considering their policies.

 

Alliance are not a unionist party though, they are mostly but they do have some nationalists, even republicans such as Anna Lo who said she wanted a united Ireland iirc, they are a mix of all sorts of sides of the spectrum, and so are more centre ground.

 

Surely there is room for a moderate Unionist party, although judging by the UUP's votes they wouldn't be very popular!

 

Alliance believe in the status quo and generally don't place emphasis on the constitutional question, hence imo they are unionist - but as you say there are people from all backgrounds in the party.

 

Yes without the petition of concern gay marriage will hopefully extend to all areas of the uk now, that's the funniest thing about unionists - they want to desperately be treated like the rest of the UK but don't want to follow the same laws as the rest of the UK - hypocrites til the end!!