Rebels in government: Is Sinn Féin ready for power?

The February 2020 general election in the Republic of Ireland sent shockwaves through the country’s political system. Sinn Féin, ahead of all other parties in terms of first preference votes, secured its place as a potential coalition partner, a role it has been playing in Northern Ireland since the start of the century. This result not only disrupted the two-party system, it also questioned a narrative that had cast Sinn Féin as an outlier in the political mainstream. However, the prospect of this all-Ireland, radical left and former Provisional IRA associate being in government raises many questions. What does the success of this all-Ireland party say about the prospect of reunification? Can a party over which the shadow of paramilitaries still lingers be fully trusted? And are the radical changes that the party advocates in areas such as housing, public health and taxation a compelling alternative? These are the questions that this book sets out to address. After many years of relentless efforts to make a breakthrough in Irish politics, Sinn Féin's strategy eventually paid off in the February 2020 general election. Winning a surprisingly high share of the popular vote, which even the party campaign strategists had not anticipated, it showed it had gained the confidence of a sizeable section of those at the heart of its discourse, the people. While its respectability is still questioned in some quarters, Sinn Féin has now secured its place as an unavoidable coalition partner, a role it has been playing in Northern Ireland since the start of the century. However, the prospect of this all-Ireland, radical left and former Provisional IRA associate being in government raises many questions: to what extent will this impact the prospect of reunification? Can the radical changes that the party advocates in areas such as housing, public health and taxation be implemented within the present context? Can a party over which the shadow of paramilitaries still lingers be fully trusted? These are the questions that this book sets out to address After many years of relentless efforts to make a breakthrough in Irish politics, Sinn Fein's strategy eventually paid off in the February 2020 general election. This book examines the challenges that this all-Ireland, radical left and former Provisional IRA associate being in government poses to Irish politics. -- . After many years of relentless efforts to make a breakthrough in Irish politics, Sinn Féin’s strategy eventually paid off in the February 2020 general election. This book examines the challenges that this all-Ireland, radical left and former Provisional IRA associate being in government poses to Irish politics. Front Matter 1 Contents 6 List of figures and tables 7 Acknowledgements 8 List of abbreviations 9 Introduction 10 The United Ireland party 16 The legacy of the Troubles 64 The radical, left-wing party 115 Conclusion 160 Notes 164 Bibliography 173 Index 186