The Democratic Unionist Party

Tonge, Jonathan; Braniff, Máire; Hennessey, Thomas; McAuley, James W.; Whiting, Sophie A.

doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198705772.001.0001

Cited by 86 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…7 That the use of this exclusive selectorate has remained steadfast over the party's lifetime indicates that the DUP has been impervious to the trend of democratisation affecting leadership selection procedures in many Western party systems, including those in Britain and Ireland. The exclusive nature of selection in the DUP is also in keeping with widely-held perceptions of the party's internal structure and general organisational culture, which suggest a centralised and top-down order (see Tonge et al 2014).…”

Section: Democratic Unionist Partymentioning

confidence: 61%

The Selection of Party Leaders in Northern Ireland

Matthews

2015

Parliam Aff

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Section: Democratic Unionist Partymentioning

confidence: 61%

The Selection of Party Leaders in Northern Ireland

Matthews

2015

Parliam Aff

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“…Having outbid the UUP, the DUP continued to moderate, simultaneously critiquing the Agreement and presenting itself as a governing party, moving from a party of protest to one of power. 71…”

Section: Northern Irelandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Letting “the people(s)” decide: peace referendums and power-sharing settlements

McEvoy

2018

Democratization

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Referendums are increasingly used to legitimate power-sharing settlements in deeply divided societies transitioning from violent conflict. This article assesses the use of the referendum to legitimate power sharing, focusing on the capacity of referendum rules to facilitate the 'voice' of multiple groups or 'peoples' engaged in a 'constitutional moment.' Drawing on the constitutional referendums in Northern Ireland in 1998 and Iraq in 2005, I demonstrate that referendum rules matter in highlighting the variable degrees of support for the elite-negotiated deal on the part of the contending groups. The institutional design process prior to the referendum is crucial for incentivising groups to support the settlement, particularly the previously dominant group. When faced with a choice between a simple majority threshold and countermajoritarian procedures, majoritarianism is appropriate only in so far as the main groups see their constitutional preferences satisfied and concurrent majorities can be secured. A qualified majority referendum threshold to protect a minority groups is appropriate for divided states where the groups are regionally concentrated and when the groups agree to such rules.

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“…This approach is reflective of the DUP's origins and long-held organisational culture as a 'protest' party (Tonge et al 2014) with conference primarily a means for the leadership to galvanise the grassroots.…”

Section: Democratic Unionist Partymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 Other accounts of the internal dynamics of the DUP have shown Special Advisors to play an active and influential (and primarily informal) role in the party's policy-making process (see Tonge et al 2014). These actors are employed as aides to DUP ministers and several former advisors have moved directly into electoral politics.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The changing face of party policy selection in post-devolution Northern Ireland

Matthews

2017

Br Polit

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General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. AbstractThis article provides a comparative and longitudinal analysis of the policy selection methods adopted by Northern Ireland's five main parties. Drawing on data from multiple sources it sheds light on an important element of intra-party democracy and party organisation in the region. Accounting for instances of reform, this article reveals the extent to which the parties have altered their procedures following the introduction of devolved power-sharing in 1998. Policy development is revealed to be primarily top-down in nature, with a clear professionalisation of the process in recent times. In a concurrent development, parties have also adopted a more proactive and, typically, consultative approach to policy development, affording ordinary members greater opportunities to register their views. However, such consultation also privileges several actors outside the parties' boundaries, a finding which raises questions concerning both their organisational integrity and the nature and meaning of conventional party membership in Northern Ireland.

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The Democratic Unionist Party

Cited by 86 publications

References 0 publications

The Selection of Party Leaders in Northern Ireland

The Selection of Party Leaders in Northern Ireland

Letting “the people(s)” decide: peace referendums and power-sharing settlements

The changing face of party policy selection in post-devolution Northern Ireland

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