Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin Northern Ireland: Polling History
▲ First nationalist party to lead NI polls| Election / Date | Sinn Féin % (NI) | Seats | Key Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Stormont Assembly | 23.5% | 24 MLAs | SF surpasses SDLP as largest nationalist party |
| 2007 Stormont Assembly | 26.2% | 28 MLAs | St Andrews Agreement; SF enters Executive with DUP |
| 2017 Stormont Assembly | 27.9% | 27 MLAs | RHI scandal triggers election; SF collapses Executive over Arlene Foster |
| 2019 General Election (NI) | 22.8% | 7 MPs | 7 abstentionist MPs; Brexit referendum context |
| 2022 Stormont Assembly | 27.9% | 27 MLAs | First SF Stormont election win — historic; First Minister right triggered; DUP blocks for 2 years |
| 2024 General Election (NI) | 24.5% | 7 MPs | Holds 7 Westminster seats; continues abstentionism |
| 2025–2026 (NI polls) | 28% | — | Sustaining lead; Michelle O'Neill as First Minister consolidates nationalist politics |
The Island-of-Ireland Context: SF North and South
Northern Ireland — In Government
Sinn Féin Michelle O'Neill serves as First Minister of Northern Ireland since February 2024 — the first nationalist First Minister in NI history. The party holds 27 MLAs and multiple Executive ministries. SF strategy focuses on delivering in government while maintaining its long-term Irish unity agenda.
Republic of Ireland — In Opposition
In the 2020 Republic election, Sinn Féin topped the poll on first preferences with 24.5% — but Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael formed a coalition excluding SF. In the November 2024 Republic election, SF fell back to around 24% and again found itself in opposition. It is the largest opposition party in the Dáil, led by Mary Lou McDonald.
Michelle O'Neill: First Nationalist First Minister
Path to First Minister
Michelle O'Neill was elected to the Stormont Assembly in 2007 for Mid Ulster and rose through SF ranks as a pragmatic, moderate voice. She succeeded Martin McGuinness as NI party leader in 2017. When the DUP returned to Stormont in February 2024, O'Neill was nominated as First Minister — the first nationalist or republican to hold the post.
Leadership Style and Strategy
O'Neill has worked to present Sinn Féin as a mainstream governing party rather than a movement defined by its republican past. She has reached out to unionist communities, attended events with the British Royal Family, and emphasised practical service delivery over constitutional rhetoric in her day-to-day politics.
United Ireland: Where Does the Polling Stand?
| Survey Year | United Ireland | Remain in UK | Don't Know | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ~17% | ~63% | ~20% | Pre-Brexit baseline; firm unionist majority |
| 2016 (post-Brexit) | ~21% | ~58% | ~21% | Brexit vote shifts opinion; NI voted 56% Remain |
| 2021 | 30–35% | 45–50% | 20–25% | Some polls show near-parity; spike reflects Protocol anger |
| 2023–2024 | 28–32% | 48–52% | 20–22% | Settled back from peak; firm unionist majority remains |
| 2025–2026 | ~30% | ~50% | ~20% | Long-term trend upward; border poll not imminent but on political agenda |
Sinn Féin Key Policy Positions (Northern Ireland)
Irish Unity
Core long-term objective. Campaigns for a planned and orderly border poll in both NI and the Republic, with a coordinated all-island constitutional conversation beforehand.
Abstentionism at Westminster
Sinn Féin MPs are abstentionists: they take the seats but do not take their seats in the House of Commons, in keeping with a policy held since the party founding. This means NI loses 7 votes in Westminster parliamentary divisions.
Windsor Framework
SF broadly accepts the Windsor Framework as the best available arrangement for NI and advocates for further EU alignment rather than less.
Social Policy
Supports same-sex marriage, abortion rights, and progressive social policies — a significant shift from SF historically conservative Catholic social positioning, reflecting a modernisation under Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill.
Irish Language
Strongly supports the Irish Language Act (New Decade New Approach commitments) and the promotion of Irish as a community language in NI.
Public Services
As a governing party in NI, SF focus is on health waiting lists (the worst in the UK), housing supply, and childcare. Performance as a governing party is increasingly central to making the case for SF-led government.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't Sinn Fein MPs take their seats at Westminster?
Sinn Féin abstentionist policy means its elected MPs refuse to take the oath of allegiance to the British Crown required to sit in the House of Commons. This policy has been maintained since the 1918 general election.
Is Sinn Fein the same party north and south of the border?
Yes. Sinn Féin is a single all-Ireland political party with a single leadership structure. Mary Lou McDonald leads the party overall from Dublin, while Michelle O'Neill leads the NI section as First Minister.
What was the IRA relationship with Sinn Fein?
Sinn Féin was historically the political wing of the Provisional IRA. The IRA declared a ceasefire in 1994 and decommissioned its weapons in 2005. SF now firmly rejects political violence as a strategy and participates in democratic institutions in both NI and the Republic.
When could a border poll on Irish unity take place?
Under the Good Friday Agreement, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland must call a poll if they believe a majority would vote for unity. There is no fixed trigger. Most analysts believe a poll remains unlikely within the next decade unless polling consistently shows majority support. Current polls show approximately 30% support for unity in NI.
Related Pages
DUP
The Democratic Unionist Party at 22% — Sinn Fein main rival in NI and partner in the power-sharing Executive.
Alliance Party
The cross-community party at 17% — surging on voters who want to transcend the unionist/nationalist divide.
Northern Ireland Polling
Full NI polling data: Assembly projections, Westminster seats, and constitutional polling on unity.