People turning off politics says UU lecturer

The initial optimism felt by ordinary people after the Good Friday Agreement has given way to cynicism about the whole political process and the political parties in Northern Ireland, a University of Ulster expert has said.

In an article, published today in the Global Review of Ethnopolitics journal, and ahead of next week's Assembly elections, Dr Gilligan, a sociology lecturer at the University's Magee campus, said many people were now switching off from politics.

“Politics has become a private matter among politicians - and the public are excluded," Dr Gilligan said. "The latest deal in October was a prime example. Only the leadership of the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein knew what was going on. Not even their respective members where in the loop. Nobody else had a clue what was going on.

“In this situation it is no surprise that people are switching off from politics."

Dr Gilligan said the current political uncertain situation was adding to the confusion amongst the electorate. He added: “There is no idea of where the peace process is going. This in turn sows confusion amongst the electorate. Even the parties are not clear where the peace process is going, he said.

“During the conflict the parties knew where they stood and so to did their voters. Now it’s not clear where anybody stands.

“I suspect in this election it will be a case of people voting against parties rather than for parties, because of the sense of mistrust in relation to the peace process. But it is too close to call - all four main parties are neck and neck.”

Dr Gilligan said the peace process has also made it harder for parties to read rivals' actions, however he said the process was unlikely to be destroyed by the election results.

“The peace process is likely to endure even if the DUP become the largest Unionist party in Northern Ireland.

“But as long as cynicism, retreat and uncertainty are the main features of the political landscape in Northern Ireland, however, the peace process will continue to be characterized by recurrent crisis," he concluded.

(MB)