The death of the DUP.

[st333ve]

Religious fanatics, creationists, homophobes, loyalist terrorist appolagists, anti-Irish bigots....

Charcteristics which could be used to discribe the DUP today, not yesterday.
This is a party that styles itself solely on opposing SF, while SF are their partners in government.
This is a recipee for disaster.

This party has always portrayed itself as 'decent', it's a word used by many unionists irrespective of how they act or behave.

On Monday the TUV are expected to take a huge lump of DUP votes , the TUV arnt even 2 years old.

The DUP are being pushed out of the road as their votes will now begin to go elsewhere.
Their candiate for the European election was a prime example of the fundamental problems unionism is facing in the modern world.

This woman seemed obsessed by unionism, every reply to every question was answered with comments about unionism.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZf8RAbzh7Q]YouTube - Diane Dodds on Hearts & Minds[/ame]
It seemed like every 3rd word from her mouth was unionism or unionist.

Couple this with Sammy Wilson, the ridiculous climate change denying environment minister, the Irish sport hating sports minister and their finances drawing a lot of media condemnation - and you will see a party at the beginning of a freefall.

Big Ian got out when the going was good.

[mutley]

It's scary though that the DUP will be loosing some of their vote to the TUV, which are a lot worse than the DUP

[st333ve]

True, a declining unionist vote will drive them to the more extreme.

The DUP will probobly up the bigotry to try and compete.

Expect the DUP to take out the big SF bashing stick , and possibly throw around a few threats to walk out of Stormont - blaming SF ofcourse.

Theyve abused the top spot and now they'll be second best to their old enemies.
A bitter pill to swallow.

If SF managed to get into government in the south it would be another blow for them, although Edna Kenny's rants about SF's 'army council' etc. made him sound identical to Jim Allister so i couldnt see that happening just yet.

[Pat Mc Larnon]

So what! Like the UUP before them they have adopted a minimalist approach to the GFA. Let them shrivel and if the TUV adopt the same approach they shall be taken on and split again. Unionists have to start behaving normally.
SF have received a massive mandate for their approach and nationalists are willing to work with unionists, but it is a two way street.

[st333ve]

They're not going to start acting all normal and tolerant now that theyre in decline, expect unionist to become a lot more extreme.

[mutley]

So what! Like the UUP before them they have adopted a minimalist approach to the GFA. Let them shrivel and if the TUV adopt the same approach they shall be taken on and split again. Unionists have to start behaving normally.
SF have received a massive mandate for their approach and nationalists are willing to work with unionists, but it is a two way street.

I don't think you can just say so what Pat. Unionist strategy in Stormont is to block anything Sinn Fein put foward and they aren't entirely unsuccesful at it either. If the TUV take the place of the DUP then Sinn Fein are going to face even more resistance

[st333ve]

Unionism will eat itself up if it bases everything around hatered, and veto's.

You cant run a government on the basis of blocking everything in order to get 1up on your opponent, SF have to be their partners aswell as opponents.
If you dont agree with your partner in government by default, then you shouldnt be there.

It will be interesting to see how the DUP handle this.

[Maitiú]

It will be interesting to see the next election.

With a popular SF gainin the stoop votes and a DUP being split by a Loyalist Bigot(allaister)

I can see SF getting a Maj, especially with the news the deBrun has basically topped the recent poll.... DUP will never sit in Govt with M. Mc G as FM

[Eye of Angkor]

Without the figures its too early to make any definitive comments.

Nevertheless Unionism has a strong tendency towards splitting. The underlying reality is that the DUP are in possession. TUV is not. If the DUP stand firm they should be able to see off the TUV. The problem is the DUP's nerve rather than the TUV's strength.

There will be a general election in NI in the next 12 months. That will give the DUP an opportunity to assert its supremacy, particularly since it will be conducted under first past the post. I also suspect the TUV as a party (if they can find credible candidates) would not get the same vote as McAlister.

[st333ve]

Considering the TUV have won so many votes in a short period of time, I doubt that the DUP will ever regain their 'supremacy'.
The whole problem with them is their supremacy mindset.

The TUV arnt going away, they have went from being a ridiclous joke dissident party to being a decent sized small political party in a very short period of time.

Ones gaining votes fast, the other is losing them fast.

I predict that the DUP will handle this so badly that their vote will drop further, before this Euro poll they already stated that it would be 'disasterous' if they lost.
Their own stupid comments will only add to their demise.

The DUP mightnt be dead just yet, but their 'supremacy' certainly is - they are nothing without their deemed supremacy, its the corner stone of their party.
If the DUP are considered to be falling, a lot of unionists wont touch them in the future.