Northern Ireland: Nationalist party Sinn Fein wins

Published on 7/05/2022 at 17:16Reading Time: 2 Minutes

isAt the door of a historic victory in Northern Ireland, the nationalist party Sinn Féin, in favor of the reunification of all Ireland, promised a “new era” on Saturday despite the risk of political paralysis.

With a long count of ballots being put into the ballot boxes on Thursday to nominate 90 elected members of the local assembly, the partial results give Sinn Féin a slight edge over its unionist rival DUP, which is favored to retain within the British crown. Is. It is the first time in the province’s hundred-year history that it is under tension due to Brexit.

“Today is a very important moment of change”, with the entry of “a new era”, the leader of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill, from her constituency of Mid Ulster, promising to cross divisions. Welcomed. “I will provide leadership that is inclusive, that celebrates diversity, that guarantees rights and equality for those who have been excluded, discriminated or overlooked in the past.”

A victory would propel Michelle O’Neill to the position of leader of the local government, which is to be run jointly by Nationalists and Federalists under a 1998 peace deal.

In Belfast, the count so far favors the British crown, with 23 of the 77 declared seats giving Sinn Féin 23, compared to 21 for the DUP’s own unionist rival.

The Nationalist Party has already received the highest first-preference vote (29% against 21.3%) and should not reverse the position at the end of the count.

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has admitted on Sky News that Sinn Fein is set to become the new major party in the assembly.