Sinn Féin Victorious Election Candidates Celebrating After 2001 Elections
Pictured here are Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew, and Martin Mcguiness in 2001 celebrating their respective victories as Sinn Féin finally beat out the SDLP as the largest nationalist party in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin received 21.71% of the vote to the SDLP’s 20.96% (CAIN 2023). This election marked the culmination of Sinn Féin’s gradual accumulation of electoral support. However, it was in 2003 that Sinn Féin made significant gains, setting the tone for their continued dominance over the SDLP (CAIN 2023). Moreover, as part of the Northern Ireland 2003 Election Study, it was found that “Three times as many respondents perceived Sinn Féin rather than the SDLP to be the most effective party in representing the interests of nationalists” (Mitchell, O’Leary, and Evans 2006, p. 23). Thus, Sinn Féin had not just in name, but in terms of electoral returns, proven to be the party best serving the nationalist community. In the tribunal party struggle between Sinn Féin and the SDLP, the former had overcome the latter.
The strategies Sinn Féin employed to achieve these results were indeed frequently rooted in painting the SDLP as too moderate while positioning itself as the better, more Irish choice. However, Sinn Féin’s votes came from a multitude of constituencies. To some extent, Sinn Féin was able to mobilize former non-voters as well as first time voters (Mitchell, O’Leary, and Evans 2006). The party had a message that was newer and more progressive than SDLP and thus, attracted the youth vote (Mitchell, O’Leary, and Evans 2001). In addition to this, Sinn Féin was also able to pull votes away from the SDLP. In fact, of those who voted for the SDLP in 1998, nineteen percent voted for Sinn Féin in 2003 (Mitchell, O’Leary, and Evans 2006). Therefore, it was not just Sinn Féin gaining formerly abstentionist voters or new voters, they were truly becoming a more attractive option than their opponent.
Artifact Source: https://www.irishamerica.com/2001/08/sinn-fein-surges-ahead/
