Abstentionism is the policy of seeking election to a body while refusing to take up the seats or even sitting in an alternative assembly.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland this has been an oft used tactic of republicans and nationalists. Irish Republicanism is an ideology based on the Irish nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a united independent republic. ... Irish nationalism refers to political movements that desire greater autonomy or the independence of Ireland from Great Britain. ...

In 1918 Sinn Féin MPs nominally elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom refused to sit in that body and instead constituted themselves as Dáil Éireann and claimed to be the legitimate parliament of Ireland. 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Sinn Féin (pronounced in English, in Irish) is a name used by a series of Irish political movements of the 20th century, each of which claimed sole descent from the original party established by Arthur Griffith in 1905. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... The Dáil Chamber Dáil Éireann[1] is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of Ireland. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in red and orange—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, and the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ...

In Northern Ireland, the Nationalist party did not take their seats during the first Stormont parliament (1921-25) and did not accept the role of Opposition for another forty years (they became the opposition on 2 February 1965 but withdrew after the events of 5 October 1968). The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) became the Opposition on its formation on 21 August 1970 but that party withdrew from Stormont in July 1971. Since the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly under the Good Friday Agreement, both the SDLP and Sinn Féin have taken their seats in that body. SDLP MPs have consistently taken their seats in the Westminster parliament, in contrast to Sinn Féin MPs who refuse to take their seats there, as they refuse to recognise that body's right to legislate for any part of Ireland. Motto: [citation needed] (French for God and my right)2 Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (de facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3, NI Sign Language Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair... The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which existed from June 7, 1921 to March 30, 1972, when it was suspended. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (279th in Leap years). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP — Irish: Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is the smaller of the two major nationalist parties in Northern Ireland. ... August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Look up July in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... The logo of the Northern Ireland Assembly is a six flowered linen or flax plant, chosen for the plants historical economic importance to the region. ... The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement and, more rarely, as the Stormont Agreement) was signed in Belfast on April 10, 1998 by the British and Irish Governments and endorsed by most Northern Ireland political parties. ... Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. ...

In the Irish Free State and the later Republic of Ireland, abstentionism has been a controversial question for republican parties. Sinn Féin decided in 1986 to reverse its long-standing policy of not taking seats in Dáil Éireann, and as a result suffered a minor split, with a minority, including some of the party's former leaders, leaving to establish Republican Sinn Féin. The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) (1922–1937) was the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties that were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Dáil Chamber Dáil Éireann[1] is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of Ireland. ... Republican Sinn Féin (RSF) is a minor political party1 operating in Ireland. ...

See also

• Irish republican legitimatism