Public opinion and consociationalism in Northern Ireland: Towards the 'end stage' of the power-sharing lifecycle?

Haughey, Sean ORCID: 0000-0001-7378-086X and Loughran, Thomas (2024) Public opinion and consociationalism in Northern Ireland: Towards the 'end stage' of the power-sharing lifecycle? BRITISH JOURNAL OF POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, 26 (1). pp. 187-207. ISSN 1369-1481, 1467-856X

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Abstract

Consociationalism’s uneven performance has focussed attention on the (possible) end stage of power-sharing systems. Northern Ireland, once lauded a consociational success, is now discussed among consociational failures. We use new public opinion data to assess consociationalism in Northern Ireland from a citizen’s perspective, exploring support for, trust in, and knowledge of power-sharing. We show that public attachment to the principles of power-sharing is higher than might be expected, despite dissatisfaction with the practical operation of the institutions. Whilst trust in the Assembly is low, trust in some Executive ministers is higher. The results from a political knowledge test are suggestive of healthy (if critical) political engagement. Support for power-sharing is, however, lopsided vis-à-vis the region’s two ethnonational communities. Citizens therefore offer a mixed verdict which, while not a ringing endorsement of the status quo, does not suggest the end of power-sharing. Assessments of power-sharing elsewhere could make similar use of public opinion.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	consociationalism, divided societies, Northern Ireland, political knowledge, power-sharing, public opinion, trust
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	17 May 2023 08:12
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 12:48
DOI:	10.1177/13691481231174164
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3170409
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