Sinn Fein Do Rather Well In The Ni Elections

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-northern-ireland-2017-39159423

Catholics traditionally comprise about 41% of the 1.8M population, s Sinn Fein would appear to be popular in the other communities as well.

[Islay]

Believe me Sinn Fein are not popular in other communities, more likely that other communities are disgusted with the DUP and the chicken heating scam and have decided not to vote.

[mikey4444]

You may very well be right Islay.

[ichkeria]

Although I don't support Sinn Fein, once it became clear that the so-called "opposition" parties had bombed (if you'll pardon the expression) I was hoping that Michelle O'Neill's party would come out on top as Arlene Foster's performence as First Minister has been dire. I am sure it is true that one factor in Sinn Fein's surge was in part due to her increasingly confrontational pronouncements. Sinn Fein say they won't work with her as First Minister, as issue that would probably have gone away if the DUP had been defeated.
The turnout was way up on last time (somewhat surprising you might think), and a lot of that was no doubt Nationalists coming out to vote for Sinn Fein. The DUP actually did not do all that badly. The Ulster Unionists had a nightmare. But Alliance held onto their total of 8 seats, which was impressive given there were 18 fewer seats in the new assembply.
Another factor was almost certainly Brexit: Sinn Fein are of course strongly anti-Brexit, whereas the DUP are pro, and while of course that doesn't mean that pro-Remain unionists are going to vote for SInn Fein, many Ulster Unionist voters transferred to the SDLP rather than the DUP in their second preferences, probably not just because of the heating scandal.
And the socialist anti-EU People Before Profit Alliance struggled also.
For the first time there are now more Nationalist than Unionist MLAs.
But unless Foster does the decent thing and walks, then it's hard to see a new government being formed. Mind you, gravity has been defied before. It would actually be in the DUP's interests to go for direct rule, but to their credit, I suppose, they - claim at least - to be committed to keeping the institutions going.

[ichkeria]

Actually strictly speaking there are still more unionists than nationalists, if you count the TUV and the independent, but for the first time the major nationalist parties outnumber the main unionist ones

[Jackdaw33]

What's the TUV?

[ichkeria]

Traditional Unionist Voice: they speak for unionists who reject the Good Friday Agreement. More or less a one-man band consisting of Jim Allister formerly of the DUP

[Gromit]

A bad result that threatens to bring back direct rule from London.
Sein Fein say they will not work with the First Minister Arlene Foster, and she won't resign.
Unless one of them relents, Stormont will close.

[ichkeria]

I reckon they'll sort it out. When someone explains to Michelle O'Neill in words of one syllable that joint rule from London and Dublin is not on the cards, then they'll change their minds.
I would not be surprised is Foster does resign anyway. There are some in the DUP who'd prefer Ian Paisley

[ichkeria]

In any case barring an earthquake it was always going to be the case that Foster and ONeill were going to be facing off again, regardless of the got what seats

[venator]

Not a religious split anymore - perhaps Catholic church has lost its grip and ageing Orangemen die off.

More of "A nation once again" Expect unification soon, as the Brexit shambles crawls on.