Party Politics and the EU in Ireland, North and South

Political party systems in both parts of Ireland – north and south – are typically regarded as unconventional. Neither has traditionally fitted neatly into the established party system models found in most other European states (for Republic of Ireland see Carty, 1976; Mair, 1979; Sinnott, 1984; for Northern Ireland see Mitchell, 1991, 1995). The uniqueness of the party systems in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland has meant that, historically, studies of political parties and party systems, have tended to focus on the peculiarities and idiosyncrasies of each respective system.