Opinion

Analysis: Changes yes, but no seismic shifts

Anthony Flynn and Áine Groogan celebrate their victories for the Greens in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell
Anthony Flynn and Áine Groogan celebrate their victories for the Greens in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell Anthony Flynn and Áine Groogan celebrate their victories for the Greens in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell

IT was still an incomplete picture with many seats unfilled at close of play last night, but it was possible to identify some emerging patterns from Thursday's election.

There's been no seismic shift in the local government landscape, with the DUP and Sinn Féin continuing to dominate most of the region's 11 council chambers.

Each enjoyed memorable victories - such as the election of the DUP's Alison Bennington in Antrim and Newtownabbey and a breakthrough for republicans in the unionist-dominated Lisburn and Castlereagh - but there were disappointments too for both.

Lee Reynolds, a leading DUP strategist and chair of the north's Leave campaign in the EU referendum, lost out in the Titanic area of Belfast, while Sinn Féin's one-time former mayor of Derry & Strabane Maoliósa McHugh failed to regain his seat.

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Today may prove a better day for republicans, who appeared to have shed some support with smaller parties such as People Before Profit and the recently-launched Aontú being beneficiaries.

Sinn Féin may take solace from the fact that we are in the middle of an assembly mandate, and although the institutions are dormant, ordinarily support for the dominant parties tends to dip.

The Greens and Alliance, meanwhile, were celebrating after strong performances in Belfast and what looks likely to be gains for the latter outside its traditional strongholds.

Áine Groogan topping the poll in the Botanic district electoral area of Belfast was a highpoint for the Greens and leader Claire Bailey, who succeeded Steven Agnew late last year.

Alliance will also feel smug having deflected a negative campaign led by rogue Ulster Unionists in east Belfast.

The abject failure of its two former councillors Geraldine Rice and Vasundhara Kamble in Lisburn and Castlereagh, where Alliance was on course for nine seats, will also prompt a wry smile.

It was a bad day for the Ulster Unionists all round, with results not auguring well for the defence of its European Parliament seat in less than three weeks' time.

The party had enjoyed something of a uplift five years ago under Mike Nesbitt but any ground gained has subsequently disappeared.

The SDLP scored some morale-boosting victories but overall appears to be treading water, neither suffering a setback or a lift from its rarely mentioned alliance with Fianna Fáil.

Of the smaller parties, the Progressive Unionist Party looked to be losing ground in Belfast, but People Before Profit looked likely to make good gains in Derry and Belfast.

Overall, while some had spoken of many potential upsets ahead of Thursday's election, the shifts in support have been relatively minor, a tweaking around the edges rather than a sudden collapse of the core.

Read more:Live results