It’s a real earthquake for Northern Ireland. For the first time in its history, Sinn Féin, the Irish nationalist political party, becomes the leading political force in the province of Northern Ireland. A major first, which could well transform Northern Ireland… and intensify discussions around a possible reunification of the island, whose north has until now been landlocked by the British.
Never before in 100 years had such a victory been observed. Since the partition of the island of Ireland in 1921, with the annexation of Northern Ireland by the British, Northern Ireland’s system of governance has been a well-oiled machine, ensuring a majority for the Unionists.
We had to wait until May 2022 to reverse the trend. And the results will be far-reaching. Sinn Féin, the party advocating reunification of the island, now has a majority, with 27 seats out of 90 in the assembly, against 25 for the Democratic Uninonist Party (DUP).
Mary Lou McDonald, the party’s president, welcomed this historic step forward, hailing it as“a very important moment of change, signifying the entry into a new era“.
While the transition will be unprecedented, it may well herald some difficult weeks ahead. Members of Sinn Féin and the DUP will have to learn to work together if they are to reach agreement and preserve Northern Ireland’s political stability. A gigantic challenge, greatly complicated by the Brexit.
Although the issue of island reunification is not currently a priority for Sinn Féin, it could well come back to the fore within the next 5 years.
Mary Lou McDonald hinted that a referendum on the subject might be proposed in the years to come…
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