We've talked quite a bit on red lines about the challenges facing unionism as we approach May's

Assembly election, but there are interesting things happening within nationalism in the run-up

to that poll too, and that's what we're discussing on this week's edition of the podcast.

There's clearly a battle for votes between Sinn Féin and the SDLP, but nationalist voters

could choose to give their support to a range of other parties as well.

The Greens, Alliance, people before profit and A&2 among them, and for all sorts of reasons as well.

How nationalism responds to what unionism does between now and May the 5th is another big unknown.

But let's start with this question.

Is talk of a first-ever nationalist first minister hiding the fact that political nationalism isn't necessarily in a very strong position itself?

Chris?

I don't think it's true to say that it's not in a very strong position.

I think it's in a changed landscape.

We're no longer in the position where we talk about political nationalism,

just equating, adding the SDLP and Sinn Féin votes.

And that's a change from where society was here, Northern Ireland, 24 years ago,

with the time of the Good Friday Agreement.

Vanilla.

Ackno, I think that's a...

You're saving your pardon, and with all due respect, Mark, I think that's a daft question.

I think where nationalism is is for nationalism to decide and will emerge day by day.

And its weakness or otherwise is entirely dependent on the overall political situation,

where it ends up after the election, who ends up being top of the heap and with what degree of margin.

...