The Five Demands

Siamo ormai giunti al termine di questa serrata campagna elettorale, stasera si terrà l’ultimo dibattito elettorale.
All’incontro, trasmesso in diretta da una serie di emittenti telesive, parteciperanno, come nello scorso, i leaders dei partiti nazionalisti di Sinn Fein Gerry Adams e SDLP Margaret Ritchie. Saranno presenti, inoltre, Sir Reg Empey, presidente dell’UUP, e Peter Robinson, primo ministro dell’Irlanda del Nord e leader del DUP.
Nel frattempo, un’ indagine sulle intenzioni di voto commissionata da Inform Communications su un campione di 3200 individui in età adulta non ha svelato particolari sorprese.
Il DUP riconquisterebbe il primato perso con le Europee attestandosi sul 26%, mentre subito dietro sarebbe lo Sinn Fein con il 25%. Piuttosto dietro gli unionisti dell’UUP, alleatisi per l’occasione con i conservatori sul 13%. Il SDLP si confermerebbe intorno al 17%, mentre l’Alliance al 7%. Il TUV, partito unionista intransigente, intorno al 5%.
Considerando però il margine di errore attorno al 3% e soprattutto la difficoltà nel condurre sondaggi in una comunità così frammentata come quella nordirlandese, ci possiamo aspettare capovolgimenti giovedì.

NI leaders in television debate (BBC News Northern Ireland)
The leaders of the four main parties in Northern Ireland will be taking part in a televised debate on the BBC tonight.
The one hour long special programme will be hosted by BBC Northern Ireland presenter Mark Carruthers.
The NI Leaders’ Debate will be broadcast at 2100 BST on BBC One NI.
The debate is taking place just two days before they face the Northern Ireland electorate on Thursday, 6 May.
BBC presenter Mark Carruthers said: “Tonight’s debate is shaping up to be a great piece of television – and an important part of the election campaign locally.
“It’s clear from the public response to the television debates across the water that there’s a huge appetite for this kind of set-piece television.
“We certainly want to make sure the party leaders really do debate with each other and engage with the members of our studio audience and give voters a clear understanding of the key election issues.”
Earlier this month, the four leaders took part in the first televised debate on UTV.
Taking part in the programme were SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie, the Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams, DUP leader Peter Robinson and UUP leader Sir Reg Empey.
Voting intention poll
Tuesday’s debate will also be broadcast simultaneously on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC NI News Online, on the BBC News Channel at 2330 BST and next day on the BBC iPlayer.
Following the hour-long debate, an extended BBC Newsline at 2230 BST on BBC One Northern Ireland will have reaction and analysis from the TUV, Alliance and Green parties.
Meanwhile the Belfast Telegraph has published a voting intention poll, the only of the campaign in Northern Ireland.
It suggests the DUP could take 26% of the vote, just ahead of Sinn Fein on 25%. Behind them are the SDLP on 17%, UCU on 13%, Alliance on 7%, Independents on 6%, TUV on 5%, Greens on 1%.
The poll, which was carried out by Inform Communications, involved interviewing 3,2000 adults.
The fieldwork took place between April 22 and April 29.