February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Such an appeal for republicans to vote for unionists would have been unthinkable, even ludicrous, until quite recently. However, it makes perfect sense for opportunistic reasons and in terms of getting the outcome that would most benefit the agreement. For political expediency, it would help Sinn Fein’s ambition to become the leading nationalist party if nationalists transferred their votes not to its nearest rival, the Social Democratic and Labor Party, but to pro-agreement unionists. It makes sense too that McGuinness knows that for the agreement to be made to work, in particular for its devolved political structures to function, nationalists need unionists with whom they can talk.
Before the election campaign got under way, he said that Sinn Fein was conscious of the position of the pro-agreement unionists and the need to create the circumstances in which they would have the best shot at getting elected. Unfortunately, as the deal between Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble collapsed, it became evident that what the republicans wanted to do or could do had its limitations.
McGuinness’s most recent remarks, however, underline an important transformation that has occurred in Northern Irish politics in the last year. This is largely due to the deep engagement that has taken place during the intensive talks between Sinn Fein and the UUP that took place between September and October. At some level, the parties understand each other, though at times that may be hard to believe.
Finally, it is sinking in that if the current conflict-resolution process is going to work then it can only do so with the cooperation of both nationalist and unionist traditions. Nationalists realize this. It is hoped that a majority of unionists will, too, in time to save the Good Friday agreement from the political doldrums.