In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein promises a 'new era' with victory in local Assembly
The leader of the independence party Michelle O'Neill has promised to overcome divisions, Saturday May 7, 2022. AP - Peter Morrison
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At the gates of a historic victory against the unionists of the DUP in Northern Ireland, the nationalist party Sinn Fein, in favor of the reunification of all Ireland, promised this Saturday May 7 a "
new era
", despite the risk of political paralysis.
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"
Today is a very important moment of change
," said the leader of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland.
From her constituency of Mid Ulster, Michelle O'Neill promised to transcend divisions.
"
I will provide inclusive leadership that celebrates diversity, that guarantees rights and equality for those who have been excluded, discriminated against or ignored in the past
."
As the long counting of the
ballots cast in the ballot boxes on Thursday
to designate the 90 elected members of the Local Assembly progresses, partial results give Sinn Fein a slight lead against its unionist rival DUP, favorable to maintaining within the British crown.
It's a first in the province's 100-year history,
under strain due to Brexit
.
In Belfast, the count so far gives Sinn Fein 23 of the 77 declared seats, compared to 21 for the DUP.
The nationalist party has already obtained the most first preference votes (29% against 21.3%) and the end of the count should not reverse the situation.
A victory would propel Michelle O'Neill to the post of leader of the local government, which is to be run jointly by nationalists and unionists under the 1998 peace accord.
Risk of paralysis
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has acknowledged on Sky News that Sinn Fein is set to become the new dominant party in the Assembly.
But the talks for the formation of a government promise to be difficult and the risk of paralysis hovers, the unionists refusing to join a government as long as the post-Brexit customs controls remain in place, which according to them threaten the integrity of the United Kingdom. United.
"
I want a government in Northern Ireland, but it must be based on stable foundations
", insisted Jeffrey Donaldson, deploring that the Northern Irish protocol "
undermines the economy
" of the province and its "
political stability
".
Another party heavyweight has warned negotiations will take “hopefully weeks or even months” as British provincial minister Brandon Lewis is due in Belfast on Monday, politicians say Northern Irish.
Michelle O'Neill for her part called for a "
healthy debate
" on the future of Northern Ireland, saying that the new executive must first tackle the soaring cost of living, after a campaign during which she emphasized social and societal issues rather than constitutional ones.
Marked by three decades of bloody unrest between Unionists and separatists and then the turmoil caused by Brexit, Northern Ireland plunged back into uncertainty in February, with the resignation of Unionist Prime Minister Paul Givan, unhappy with the post-Brexit situation. Brexit.
(
With
AFP)
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