The Political Oscillations of Sinn Féin

• In Event: 40420 - Section on Political Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 1: Politics and Democracy

Abstract

This paper considers the political evolution and development of the Irish political party Sinn Fein. Once the political support organization for the Provisional Irish Republican Army, Sinn Fein has matured into a modern, all-island party that has won political power in Northern Ireland and is contesting to be a governing party in the Irish Republic. In 2015, Sinn Fein was considered, alongside Greece's Syriza and Spain's Podemos, as one of the key anti-austerity parties in Europe. Although Sinn Fein has made major in-roads in the 2020 and 2024 Irish General Elections, it remains the largest party in opposition. Three questions are considered: 1) coming from neither the social democratic nor communist traditions, to what extent is Sinn Fein a "new party" of the left? 2) to what extent has Sinn Fein's anti-austerity activism informed its political positions? 3) what “party family” does Sinn Féin naturally call home? Is the party Left Republican, Left Populist, Radical Left or Social Democratic? The paper considers what the party does in opposition will provide the foundation for a future Sinn Fein government.

Authors

• John O'Connor, Central Connecticut State University

• Bea Ferrer, CCSU