Historical First in Northern Ireland Sinn Fein Largest Party

[Grace O'Malley]

Since the creation of Northern Ireland the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) has always been the biggest party and taken the First Minister post but in a reversal of fortunes the nationalist party Sinn Fein is on course last night to become the largest party in Northern Ireland, putting it in line to take the first minister’s post for the first time in the region’s history.

What is also interesting is the surge of the Alliance Party which is a lot less sectarian.

[Daco Celtic]

Let's see reunification in our lifetime

[frankhammer]

Let's see reunification in our lifetime

Enough's, enough. I'm out.

[Daco Celtic]

Enough's, enough. I'm out.

With a positive attitude and a little elbow grease we can make the dream happen! How bout it!

[Grace O'Malley]

Let's see reunification in our lifetime

It is possible but it might be a decade away. It is going to be interesting to see the Unionist reaction to a Sinn Fein First Minister although they can hardly object as this situation suited them until now.

The pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and cross-community Alliance Party were tied for second.

Deirdre Heenan, professor of social policy at Ulster University, said there was a feeling the election "really is momentous".

"It will be a sea change if a nationalist becomes first minister," she told AFP.

Sinn Fein has dialled down its calls for Irish unity during campaigning, saying it is "not fixated" on a date for a sovereignty poll, and has focused on the rising cost of living and other local issues.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...olls/l7oa4c59y

The SNP wants to work with Sinn Fein, Scotland’s deputy first minister said, as the Republican party was poised to be the largest in Northern Ireland.

John Swinney said the approach of Sinn Fein meant there would be much more common ground for agreement with the favourites to become the senior partner in the Stormont power-sharing agreement.

Asked what having Sinn Fein as the largest party in the Northern Ireland assembly would mean for Scotland, Swinney told Sky News: “I think what it would mean is we would have political leadership in Northern Ireland which was prepared to challenge the United Kingdom government on many aspects of its policy approach.

“I think to be fair to the DUP they have been prepared to do that on certain questions but on some of the very important questions, less so. So there’s an opportunity for us to work together to pressurise the UK government to ensure that they address the very real difficulties that people are facing in their lives today, particularly around the cost of living and to have an intervention that actually addresses the depth of the crisis that people are facing.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/s...nney-c6mdrw9vk