Northern Ireland

DUP compared to European far right parties

Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson
Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson

A SINN Féin MEP has listed the DUP in a roll of far right European political parties including the National Front and English Defence League.

Martina Anderson was speaking during a study visit in Thessaloniki in Greece, where she addressed a panel discussion on the peace process.

Ms Anderson said it had been 50 years since the civil rights campaign in the north where people took to the streets "to end discrimination, electoral gerrymandering and to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens".

The Good Friday Agreement in promised to achieve this, she said.

"The Good Friday Agreement is much more than a peace accord. It is the basis of the entire peace and political process in Ireland.

"There is a huge need to promote reconciliation, particularly with regard to the legacy of the conflict.

"It is completely unacceptable that victims of our conflict are being denied justice for their loved ones. We need to ensure that conditions to promote reconciliation are met so we can deal with the past thoughtfully, respectfully and with compassion."

Ms Anderson then spoke about the rise of far right politics across Europe. The political label is used to identify parties and movements based on fascist, racist or extremely reactionary ideologies. While listing parties across Europe she included the DUP.

"Sinn Féin is a progressive, Irish republican and proud nationalist party which is committed to the establishment of a united, 32 county, Irish sovereign republic," Ms Anderson said.

"The far-right have mutated civic nationalism into the narrow nationalism of the DUP, Golden Dawn, the AFD, Front National, Fidesz, and the English Defence League.

"Nationalism mutates when it is mixed with regressive, socially divisive and economically discriminatory politics that are not in the interests of the nation. Sinn Féin have made it clear that the far right have no place in Ireland. Irish nationalism is progressive, outward looking and inclusive."