The hype, gossip and rumour in Irish politics is now flowing from the race for Áras an Uachtaráin later this year. With several candidates already selected, and more seeking a nomination, the media and the wider political world is alive with talk of the upcoming election. However, most are missing the elephant in the room. Though the title is 'Uachtarán na hÉireann', a large chunk of the Irish population are unable to vote. Those living in the six counties are denied the right to play their part in choosing the President of Ireland. Though the President welcomes players from the 32 counties at the 6 nations championship and the All-Ireland final, a significant proportion of the country have no say in who that president is.
Ógra Shinn Féin have launched a campaign aimed at highlighting this lapse of democracy. The President for All campaign aims to have voting rights extended to citizens in the north. You can lend your support to this campaign by liking the Facebook page, and by looking out for further updates on this blog, Facebook, and other outlets on how you can give a helping hand.
5 comments:
It's long been an irony that nationalists in Northern Ireland are unable to vote in presidential elections in the Republic whilst Irish citizens resident in all parts of the United Kingdom are freely entitled to vote in UK elections. I guess the fact that Northern nationalists contribute nothing to the coffers of the Dublin treasury has a lot to do with it.
Could there be a better metaphor for the de jure and de facto reality that Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are indeed two separate and distinct political and constitutional entities?
As ironies go, its not a patch on the one where the bloke from the country which doesnt let anyone vote for its head of state has a pop at a country in which most citizens can vote.
Ill let you guess which of those realities is most likely to change in the medium term
As it happens, Blissett, I'm inclined to agree with you; the fact that the UK has an unelected head of state is, in my opinion, an elitist political anachronism that has no part to play in the 21st century.
But then you miss my point. A lot of nationalists in Northern Ireland like to pretend that they are in fact already living in a unified state with covers the entirety of the island of Ireland. Claims such as
..."a significant proportion of the country have no say in who that president is"
is but one of many examples.
Clearly this is nonsense. Northern Ireland is legally recognised as an integral part of the UK, so why should the government of the Irish Republic extend the franchise to those people who aspire to live in that state but in reality do not?
I just find this habit of so many nationalists trying to convince us all that they already live in a united Ireland a little peculiar, delusional even.
Im pretty sure you are deliberately conflating state and nation erroneously, but if not try a dictionary. They are obviously not the same thing.
No one is pretending that Irish Unity exists. We are aware of partition. That doesnt mean that Ireland isnt a country or a nation. There are hundreds of thousands of northerners who self identify as Irish. There are many irish citizens in the north.
As citizens, the president is therefore their head of state. This is not even arguable.
Its perfectly reasonable that Irish citizens could vote in such an election. Id add that i would very much also favour the widening of the franchise to irish citizens overseas, and for all elections, but aisy aisy catchy monkey etc.
"There are many irish citizens in the north. As citizens, the president is therefore their head of state. This is not even arguable."
And tell me, to which national government do these Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland pay their taxes to? To which national parliament and devolved administration do they election their political representatives to, whether they chooe to attend or not?
To be honest I don't think it's entirely unreasonable for northern Nationalists are able to vote in an election for the head of a state in which they do not live if they already hold citizenship of that state. I just find it ironic that as things stand that state clearly doesn't want them to - the reality of partition in action.
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