The very existence of Northern Ireland is rooted in the rejection of Irish nationalism. So Sinn Féin’s emergence in Thursday’s elections as the largest single party in the assembly is rightly described as historic. Sinn Féin is not just opposed to Northern Ireland’s existence; it even refuses to refer to it by that name. Now, the party has won the right to nominate Michelle O’Neill as the next first minister, a post hitherto exclusively held by unionists.
That achievement is not simply symbolic. It is also a genuine electoral success. It should be recognised by its rivals as a proper mandate. But nor should it be misread. Under Northern Ireland’s proportional representation system, Sinn Féin won 29% of the first preference votes, the party’s best performance since assembly elections began. Perhaps significantly, this was the first assembly poll since the retirement of Gerry Adams as party president. But Sinn Féin failed to add to its 27 members in the 90-strong assembly. The extent of the breakthrough should not be exaggerated.
