We're talking about the Catholic vote, therefore any %age figure has to be more than doubled. IE 10% = more than 20%, 29% = more than 58%.
Then people don't necessarily vote for the party they support but for the party that might have more success or to keep another party out. Eg if the NI had another vote UUP voters might switch to DUP.
The Catholics would've vote SDLP instead because:-
Link
Quote:
But in the 1990s, Gerry Adams persuaded the reluctant militarists in Republican ranks that turning the IRA's violence off could achieve more in their quest for Irish unity.
The eventual success of Adams' strategy was undoubtedly hastened by the willingness of the more moderate nationalist SDLP leader John Hume to "sacrifice his party for his country".
Hume shared his immense influence and access in the USA and Dublin with Adams, in the interest of securing peace.
|
Quote:
Sinn Féin wasn't coy about its relationship with the IRA.
If you asked Gerry Adams or Martin McGuinness to denounce an IRA bombing or shooting, they were likely to tell you they didn't engage in "the politics of condemnation".
The Sinn Féin newspaper An Phoblacht (Republican News) featured a column entitled War News which proudly detailed the latest IRA ambushes on what it described as British "crown forces".
|
Quote:
Putting one over on the DUP and unionism might have been a large part of the appeal for nationalist voters, but Sinn Féin didn't have to say it out loud.
The continuing presence of veteran IRA figures within the party's Stormont ranks emphasises that, while much has changed, the party's primary motivation remains the same.
|
Terrorism isn't so much about a particular attack, but the threat of
further attacks. If there was to be no threat of further attacks, then any demands could be ignored. As such, threats from Sinn Fein about violence if they(ie the IRA) don't get their way should be treated as a
terrorist threat. Where else is that violence expected to come from?