Abstract
Abstract In this article I examine the responses of political parties in Northern Ireland to the European Union [EU] from 1987 to 1994. The EU has provoked responses from each of the main Northern Irish parties that are compatible with their political ideologies. This fact has impeded the EU's potential to act as an agent of reconciliation. I argue that the Ulster Unionist Party's and Sinn Fein's approaches to the EU have altered since 1987. The response of the Social Democratic and Labour Party [SDLP] has remained constant ‐ it continues to welcome and encourage the EU as a reconciling force in Northern Ireland. However, the Democratic Unionist Party [DUP] remains opposed to the EU and is not part of the consensus shared by the Ulster Unionist Party [UUP], the SDLP and Sinn Fein [SF] in support of regionaliz‐ation. I conclude that the EU's significance in Northern Ireland will increase because of recent political developments in Northern Ireland, but that the EU has not caused political change and is not...
Published Version
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