Editing Sinn Féin (section)

==== European Union ====
Historically, Sinn Féin has been considered to be [[Euroscepticism|Eurosceptic]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/17a7879a-3210-11e0-a820-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2TFbh6mV3 |title=Sinn Féin set to capitalise on Irish discontent |author=John Murray Brown |date=6 February 2011 |newspaper=[[Financial Times]] |location=London |access-date=14 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520165115/http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/17a7879a-3210-11e0-a820-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2TFbh6mV3 |archive-date=20 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/guides/newsid_8214000/8214446.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=Groups in the European Parliament |date=31 May 2011 |access-date=14 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511052449/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/guides/newsid_8214000/8214446.stm |archive-date=11 May 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> The party campaigned for a "No" vote in the Irish [[Third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|referendum]] on joining the [[European Economic Community]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite web |title=If You Believe in a Prosperous And Independent Ireland ... Vote No |url=http://irishelectionliterature.com/2013/11/18/if-you-believe-in-a-prosperous-and-independent-ireland-vote-no-sinn-fein-1972-referendum-on-eec/ |website=Irish Election Literature |access-date=29 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204011401/http://irishelectionliterature.com/2013/11/18/if-you-believe-in-a-prosperous-and-independent-ireland-vote-no-sinn-fein-1972-referendum-on-eec/ |archive-date=4 February 2016 |url-status=live |date=18 November 2013}}</ref> Sinn Féin was on the same side of the debate as the DUP and most of the [[Ulster Unionist Party]] (UUP) in that they wanted to pull out when UK had its referendum in 1975.<ref>{{cite web |first=Nicholas |last=Whyte |url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fref70s.htm |title=The Referendums of 1973 and 1975 |publisher=Ark.ac.uk |access-date=9 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017003823/http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fref70s.htm |archive-date=17 October 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The party was critical of the supposed need for an [[Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe|EU constitution]] as proposed in 2002,<ref name="Holmes2005">{{cite book |first=Michael |last=Holmes |title=Ireland and the European Union: Nice, Enlargement and the Future of Europe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DncQ0PBp17oC&pg=PA163 |date=29 November 2005 |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |isbn=978-0-7190-7173-7 |page=163 |access-date=29 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529153724/https://books.google.com/books?id=DncQ0PBp17oC&pg=PA163 |archive-date=29 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and urged a "No" vote in the 2008 referendum on the [[Treaty of Lisbon|Lisbon Treaty]], although Mary Lou McDonald said that there was "no contradiction in being pro-Europe, but anti-treaty".<ref>{{cite news |last1=O'Doherty |first1=Caroline |title=Sinn Féin urges treaty no vote in newsletter blitz |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2008/0206/world/sinn-fein-urges-treaty-no-vote-in-newsletter-blitz-54519.html |access-date=29 January 2016 |date=26 May 2008 |newspaper=[[Irish Examiner]] |issn=1393-9564 |location=Cork |language=en-ie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203182436/http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2008/0206/world/sinn-fein-urges-treaty-no-vote-in-newsletter-blitz-54519.html |archive-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> In its manifesto for the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 UK general election]], Sinn Féin pledged that the party would campaign for the UK to stay within the [[European Union]] (EU), with Martin McGuinness saying that an exit "would be absolutely economically disastrous". Gerry Adams said that, if there were to be a referendum on the question, there ought to be a separate and binding referendum for Northern Ireland.<ref name="Irish Times EU">{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sf-says-north-should-be-able-stay-in-eu-in-a-brexit-1.2182397 |last1=Moriarty |first1=Gerry |title=SF says North should be able stay in EU in a Brexit |date=20 April 2015 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |issn=0791-5144 |location=Dublin |language=en-ie |access-date=29 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102709/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sf-says-north-should-be-able-stay-in-eu-in-a-brexit-1.2182397 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Its policy of a "Europe of Equals", and its critical engagement after 2001, together with its engagement with the [[European Parliament]], marks a change from the party's previous opposition to the EU. The party expresses, on one hand, "support for Europe-wide measures that promote and enhance human rights, equality and the [[United Ireland|all-Ireland agenda]]", and on the other a "principled opposition" to a [[European Federation|European superstate]].{{sfn|Bean|2008|page=171}} This has led political commentators to define the party as [[soft Euroscepticism|soft Eurosceptic]] since the 21st century.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XCNXWu1oELEC&dq=Sinn+Fein+soft+Eurosceptic&pg=PA186 |chapter=Irish Euroscepticism |first=Karin |last=Gilland |title=Euroscepticism: Party Politics, National Identity and European Integration |page=186 |isbn=9789042011687 |editor1-first=Robert |editor1-last=Harmsen |editor2-first=Menno |editor2-last=Spiering |publisher=Rodopi |place=Amsterdam |date=2004 |via=Google Books |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228192039/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XCNXWu1oELEC&pg=PA186&dq=Sinn+Fein+soft+Eurosceptic&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj74M7D-N3gAhXm1uAKHT00ByAQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=Sinn%20Fein%20soft%20Eurosceptic&f=false |archive-date=28 February 2019}}</ref>

Since moving to this "soft Euroscepticism" position, Sinn Féin support a policy of "critical engagement with the EU", and have a "principled opposition" to a [[European superstate]]. It opposes an [[EU constitution]] because it would reduce the [[sovereignty]] of the member-states.<ref>{{cite web |first=Arthur |last=Beesley |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/sinn-fein-to-ask-voters-to-reject-eu-superstate-constitution-1.366224 |title=Sinn Fein to ask voters to reject EU 'superstate' constitution |date=16 July 2003 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |issn=0791-5144 |location=Dublin |language=en-ie |access-date=9 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909235922/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/sinn-fein-to-ask-voters-to-reject-eu-superstate-constitution-1.366224 |archive-date=9 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/sf-opposes-creation-of-eu-superstate-1.980943 |title=SF opposes creation of EU 'superstate' |date=1 June 2004 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |issn=0791-5144 |location=Dublin |language=en-ie |access-date=9 April 2018 |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004111407/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/sf-opposes-creation-of-eu-superstate-1.980943 |url-status=live }}</ref> It also critiques the EU on grounds of [[neoliberalism]]. Sinn Féin [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] [[Matt Carthy]] says that the "European Union must become a cooperative union of nation states committed to working together on issues such as climate change, migration, trade, and using our common strengths to improve the lives of citizens. If it does not, EU disintegration becomes a real possibility."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mattcarthy.ie/eu-must-change-direction-or-risk-disintegration/ |title=EU must change direction or risk disintegration |publisher=Matt Carthy |date=27 April 2017 |access-date=9 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909234309/http://www.mattcarthy.ie/eu-must-change-direction-or-risk-disintegration/ |archive-date=9 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The party supported continued UK membership of the [[European Union]] in the UK's [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|2016 EU referendum]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinn Fein to spell out Brexit opposition to Theresa May |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/sinn-fein-to-spell-out-brexit-opposition-to-theresa-may-35548291.html |date=20 March 2017|newspaper=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |issn=0307-5664 |location=Belfast |language=en |access-date=30 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830174113/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/sinn-fein-to-spell-out-brexit-opposition-to-theresa-may-35548291.html |archive-date=30 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and in April 2022, Mary Lou McDonald said in the Dáil that "We strongly support the Ukrainian people's stated desire to join the European Union".<ref>{{cite AV media |people= |date= |title=LIVE: Ukrainian President Zelenskiy addresses Irish parliament |trans-title= |type=video |language= |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwdqhb0Ju_c&ab_channel=Reuters |access-date=7 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407052759/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwdqhb0Ju_c&ab_channel=Reuters |archive-date=7 April 2022 |format= |time=44:00 |location= |publisher=[[Reuters]] |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= |url-status=live }}</ref>