What Students Think About a Second Stormont Election
Flavia Gouveia
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has over recent weeks reaffirmed that if power-sharing is not restored in Northern Ireland, a second election will be called.
Under the current arrangements if power-sharing is not restored by October 28, a mere 10 days away, a second election may be called.
With another potential election looming on the horizon, The Scoop has been speaking to students to find out what they think about a second election in 2022.
Reactions
Students reported mixed feelings about a second 2022 election. For some like Meghan Kane, 20, who is a member of Project Choice, a second election represents a possibility to form a functioning executive.
Meghan said that the “current political climate makes it difficult to get any work done” and she hopes that a second election will bring “a functioning government [which can be] petitioned on matters of reproductive rights”.
On the other side, students felt that another election would be ill advised since the last election results had not been implemented. One student who wished to remain anonymous said “it’s undemocratic, the election from May did not get a single chance to form a government, it’s not right”. They also expressed concern that a further election may simply return to the same results, and added “what do we do then? Keep holding elections?”.
For those who cast a vote for the first time in the May 2022 election, there was a tangible sense of loss and disappointment. Megan Gordon who is 19 said, “it was my first time voting this year and I was hoping that my vote would have an impact”. Instead, elected officials have been left unable, or unwilling, to take office.
Sarah Andrews, 28, expressed disbelief that there had been no progress since May 2022, adding that there is “no real evidence that a new election is going to solve the issue” and that all the while “pressing social issues are not [getting] solved”.
How would students vote?
Despite the current uncertain political climate, most of the students The Scoop spoke to said that they would vote in the election if it was called. Sarah Andrews said “it is important that people have their voices heard, and vote for important issues” adding that “things won’t change unless people go out and vote”.
While some said that their lower preference votes may change, their first preferences would not. Sarah for example said she would be voting the same “unless there are some real changes with other parties”
Kerry Laverty, 19, reflected that in her experience “young people tend to vote for smaller parties and those in the middle ground”. As she sees it, the younger generation is “starting to realise that the larger parties are in-fighting [and] they hope that smaller parties might get stuff done”.
Those hoping that a second election will bring an end to the current political stalemate may be in for disappointment. Students indicated that their voting preferences would largely remain unchanged the second time around. The same outcome is therefore a likely possibility.
When considering the prospect of a future election returning the same outcome, Alvin Kincaid, 28, expressed a desire for politics that “move[s] away from the issues of the past and looks forward to the future, so that future generations aren’t left with the same problems”.
What issues matter most for students?
We asked students what issues they would like to see addressed in future campaigning and largely students are worried about the issues which impact their daily lives. While other issues such as the protocol and a future border poll were highlighted, most students were worried about rising prices and how these would impact them.
Kerry said, “there are emergency issues that need to be tackled, like the cost of living” she added that “focusing on [those issues] might create a team at Stormont which can then work [together] on other issues like the protocol”.
Medical student Adam, felt that the protocol would remain a key issue for him, adding that his experience in retail had made it clear that the protocol was having an impact on the cost of living by creating barriers to bringing goods in from the UK. Adam added that the protocol was creating barriers to essential medical treatments coming to Northern Ireland, which he would like to see addressed. For Adam the protocol issue is of real concern and crosses over with many aspects of day-to-day life.
On the issue of a border poll, students who raised it mostly felt it was too early to consider calling a poll. One student who wished to remain anonymous said that raising the issue risked “alienating one side”. However, some did feel that more clarity on the issue would be necessary at a future election. Sean McCoy, 19, said that at a minimum there is a need “to at least consider setting a timeline”.
As the deadline of 28 October is fast approaching, the likelihood of a solution to the protocol being agreed and power-sharing being restored feels like a distant possibility. In 10 days a decision will be made either way. While current legislation states that an election must be called, it is possible that this deadline may be extended by Westminster.
Find out more about students’ views on this issue on The Scoop Talks to Students series.
Featured image courtesy of Abby Davidson.
Flavia Gouveia is The Scoop’s Environment and Science editor and a Journalism MA student at Ulster University.