Yes, it's difficult to understand the logic and lack of foresight behind many of the DUP's decisions over the last few years, particularly during the period they acted as kingmakers for the Tories in 2017-2019.
45 karma · joined May 18, 2022
That is incorrect, Sinn Fein are the most popular party with the younger demographic and Alliance are popular among middle aged people. The antediluvian politics of the DUP is more popular among the 18-34 cohort than Alliance.
Worth pointing out the largest nationalist party and the largest unionist party are supposed to share power equally in the sectarian state and the only change here is symbolic. The unionist parties have insisted on the First Minister-Deputy First Minister distinction for years although it has now came back to bite them.