The outcome of Thursday’s election dealt the biggest psychological blow to unionism since Northern Ireland’s creation in 1921. Whilst the ‘Cash for Ash’ scandal helped bring about the vote, this electoral shift was in motion long before 2 March.

How did it happen? There are plenty of different perspectives within unionism, but an obsession with the quantity of votes and seats has arguably come at the expense of the quality of ideas; it has enabled one brand of unionism to dominate.

The Democratic Unionist Party has taken a hit, but other unionist parties did not gain from its loss. The UUP lost six seats; the TUV retained its single seat; the PUP remains empty handed after a third consecutive poll.

So, what’s next for unionism? Here are three areas unionist parties should consider:

 

1. God is not a unionist (or nationalist)

It is not this writer’s view that politics should be absolutely free from religion, but one religious or nationalistic persuasion cannot hold superiority over others in a society of equals, or sharing.

What proved decisive in this election was the upturn in the nationalist vote; unhelpful rhetoric around the Irish language encouraged perceptions of arrogance and provoked those who stayed at home last May to vote in their droves.

The future of unionism and stability of Northern Ireland will depend on good will.

 

2. Unionism’s strength lies in its diversity

Today the veteran loyalist community worker Jim Wilson called for unionist unity, but surely there are too many views to fit beneath one roof?

The Ulster Unionist Party knows this too well. Mike Nesbitt tried to liberalise its vision of unionism in working closely with the SDLP and allowing individual members to choose their own positions on social issues.

But the party, never mind unionism, has proved divided on both.

Mr Nesbitt’s announcement that he would transfer his second voting preference to the SDLP was met with some opposition within his party. On same-sex marriage, MLA for East Antrim, Roy Beggs has said he would sign a DUP petition of concern to block legislation. His constituency colleague, John Stewart, supports a change in the law.

Will the TUV ever be more than a one-man band? Will the PUP mange to transfer working class support into votes? It is difficult to see how these groups could merge into a single party.

 

3. It’s time to come to terms with power-sharing

Unionists entered into power-sharing almost two decades ago, but it seems some politicians still want to govern for their community as opposed to the whole community.

On Friday, for instance, Edwin Poots described it as “appalling” that unionist voters had transferred preferences to the SDLP over the DUP’s Brenda Hale in Lagan Valley.

There are plenty of unionist voters who want power-sharing to work, who are willing to give nationalist parties preferences at election time. In some constituencies, like Lagan Valley and Fermanagh and South Tyrone, this helped both parties of the opposition to score victories.

The question for unionist leaders and nationalists alike is whether they are prepared to enter a power-sharing government because they have to, or because they want to.