The issue here in Northern Ireland is our politics was born out of bloodshed. Our system was never meant to give long term and stable government for everyone. It was a quick fix, it was meant to stop the immediate killings on the streets. It did just that and for that, we have to be thankful.
At the moment our political system in Northern Ireland relies on dividing the two largest communities for it to work. Why is this? My guess is, that it benefits the two largest political parties to keep society divided. They have manipulated the political system here in Northern Ireland to worry people that voting for any other party other than the current largest two will give us a terrible outcome.
Think about it, the titles of First and deputy First Ministers are just names created to sell the Belfast Agreement to the Union supporters of Northern Ireland. One position *WAS NEVER* of a higher rank than the other. Both Sinn Fein and the DUP knew this. They were equals, but both parties peddle that untruth as it benefited and continues to benefit them. That’s the TRUTH.
The DUP and Sinn Fein during the St Andrews Agreement changed the way the so-called First Minister was appointed. It changed from the *largest community* (tradition) returned after a vote, appoints the First Minister to the *largest party* which is returned appoints the so-called First Minister. Before the change, it made no difference which party a person came out to vote for 1st as long as they voted for a Pro-Union party. Sinn Fein would have never had got close to ever appointing a so-called First Minister using the previous method. Though they knew changing this rule would help both parties remain the two largest parties and keep them in power. Some may even call it voter and election manipulation.
If only our politicians in NI focused and prioritised on the NEEDS of everyone and not the WANTS of some. NI would be in a better place for EVERYONE regardless of community or religion. Would it not?
We, as a society, regardless of what our party political persuasion should be wanting a full review of the Belfast Agreement (aka Good Friday Agreement) which was written in the Agreement and was always supposed to happen and we should be calling for a fundamental change to our system of politics, to allow a system of politics that can give everyone long term political stability. A more normalised political system that utilises a weighted majority.
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