By Carl Duffy
Member of Aontú and Enniskillen Native
A recent article by Kevin Meagher on irishborderpoll.com highlighted the importance of the next set of elections in the occupied six counties for triggering a Border Poll.
Two elections will be held on the same day i.e. Council and Assembly elections. Considering that the last council election produced a slim Nationalist majority, we now have two opportunities to follow this up in the next double election.
I believe Aontú can play a vital role in helping to trigger a Border Poll. Whilst Sinn Féin will be the largest Nationalist party, I’m cautiously optimistic that Aontú can attain multiple elected representatives and offer a choice for those who otherwise might not vote.
In recent years Aontú have more than doubled their vote share in the Republic of Ireland whilst tripling their members of the Oireachtas.
I believe the party caters to a significant portion of the electorate who would otherwise feel politically homeless. In the North of Ireland it is essential for no Irish Republican to feel politically homeless if we want to maximise the Irish Unity bloc vote. I am not asking readers to agree with some of the socially conservative positions of the party – such as the right to life – but I feel it’s worth recognising the strategic importance for a strong Aontú to help boost the overall Nationalist vote.
Aontú aren’t vote splitters, they are an additive force in the cause of Irish Unity. The reason I joined the party is because I view them as the strongest protectorate of Irish Freedom. The party has consistently called out State overreach, most notably in their opposition to the draconian Hate Speech Bill. Recently, the party has been particularly vocal about excessive state force being used against fuel protesters.
Leader, Peadar Tóibín consistently emphasises the importance of free and open debate where in a free exchange of ideas the best will percolate to the top. Internally, the party is fiercely democratic where each member can freely put forward suggestions or motions to be adopted at the annual Ard Fheis.
It also recognises the stultifying effect of establishment group think on democracy. That’s why the party are opposed to orthodoxies such as gender ideology.
I recognise some may find these positions as offensive or low salience, but many Irish Republicans share these views. In the last Assembly election, Unionists had a net advantage of 6,416 votes. Aontú on average received 1,065 votes per candidate. In six constituencies they did not sit but conceivably an additional 6,389 votes would have been attained if they did. In other words, a stronger Aontú presence could make Unionists advantage either negligible or non-existent. The priority for these next set of elections is to maximise the Nationalist bloc vote – for which Aontú can have a complementary effect.
The precise portions of each Nationalist party’s vote share should be of secondary concern to the overall pro-unity total vote. On current trends I expect the Nationalist vote to become more concentrated in Sinn Féin, because as a Border Poll gets closer more will back what appears to be the dominant voice on a United Ireland. However given the slim margins it’s vital every United Irelander has an option at the Ballot Box.
Any elected Aontú politician would seek to minimise the differences between North and South e.g. the party has called for Northerners to be able to vote in Irish presidential elections. The party believes in an inch-by-inch approach towards unity where we minimise the differences in the here and now so the transition towards a new Ireland becomes seamless.
I can’t speak about the psyche of the average Aontú member or voter, but I imagine most see the right to life as a red line issue. In other words, they wouldn’t countenance voting for a party who doesn’t hold this position. I’m perhaps somewhat of an outlier in that I see free speech as a red line issue also. One can call this stubborn, inflexible or if we’re being generous – principled.
Irrespective of our political differences, it is vital in the cause of Irish Unity that voters who support reunification have someone to vote for come the next elections rather than stay at home. Because it appears very likely these will serve as a proxy vote for delaying or triggering a Border Poll. In this context now is the time for Republicans and United Irelanders of all stripes to grasp this momentous opportunity.
By Carl Duffy
Member of Aontú and Enniskillen Native
A recent article by Kevin Meagher on irishborderpoll.com highlighted the importance of the next set of elections in the occupied six counties for triggering a Border Poll.
Two elections will be held on the same day i.e. Council and Assembly elections. Considering that the last council election produced a slim Nationalist majority, we now have two opportunities to follow this up in the next double election.
I believe Aontú can play a vital role in helping to trigger a Border Poll. Whilst Sinn Féin will be the largest Nationalist party, I’m cautiously optimistic that Aontú can attain multiple elected representatives and offer a choice for those who otherwise might not vote.
In recent years Aontú have more than doubled their vote share in the Republic of Ireland whilst tripling their members of the Oireachtas.
I believe the party caters to a significant portion of the electorate who would otherwise feel politically homeless. In the North of Ireland it is essential for no Irish Republican to feel politically homeless if we want to maximise the Irish Unity bloc vote. I am not asking readers to agree with some of the socially conservative positions of the party – such as the right to life – but I feel it’s worth recognising the strategic importance for a strong Aontú to help boost the overall Nationalist vote.
Aontú aren’t vote splitters, they are an additive force in the cause of Irish Unity. The reason I joined the party is because I view them as the strongest protectorate of Irish Freedom. The party has consistently called out State overreach, most notably in their opposition to the draconian Hate Speech Bill. Recently, the party has been particularly vocal about excessive state force being used against fuel protesters.
Leader, Peadar Tóibín consistently emphasises the importance of free and open debate where in a free exchange of ideas the best will percolate to the top. Internally, the party is fiercely democratic where each member can freely put forward suggestions or motions to be adopted at the annual Ard Fheis.
It also recognises the stultifying effect of establishment group think on democracy. That’s why the party are opposed to orthodoxies such as gender ideology.
I recognise some may find these positions as offensive or low salience, but many Irish Republicans share these views. In the last Assembly election, Unionists had a net advantage of 6,416 votes. Aontú on average received 1,065 votes per candidate. In six constituencies they did not sit but conceivably an additional 6,389 votes would have been attained if they did. In other words, a stronger Aontú presence could make Unionists advantage either negligible or non-existent. The priority for these next set of elections is to maximise the Nationalist bloc vote – for which Aontú can have a complementary effect.
The precise portions of each Nationalist party’s vote share should be of secondary concern to the overall pro-unity total vote. On current trends I expect the Nationalist vote to become more concentrated in Sinn Féin, because as a Border Poll gets closer more will back what appears to be the dominant voice on a United Ireland. However given the slim margins it’s vital every United Irelander has an option at the Ballot Box.
Any elected Aontú politician would seek to minimise the differences between North and South e.g. the party has called for Northerners to be able to vote in Irish presidential elections. The party believes in an inch-by-inch approach towards unity where we minimise the differences in the here and now so the transition towards a new Ireland becomes seamless.
I can’t speak about the psyche of the average Aontú member or voter, but I imagine most see the right to life as a red line issue. In other words, they wouldn’t countenance voting for a party who doesn’t hold this position. I’m perhaps somewhat of an outlier in that I see free speech as a red line issue also. One can call this stubborn, inflexible or if we’re being generous – principled.
Irrespective of our political differences, it is vital in the cause of Irish Unity that voters who support reunification have someone to vote for come the next elections rather than stay at home. Because it appears very likely these will serve as a proxy vote for delaying or triggering a Border Poll. In this context now is the time for Republicans and United Irelanders of all stripes to grasp this momentous opportunity.