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After Sinn Fein, previously considered the political arm of the Irish Republican Army (‘IRA’), emerged as the largest party in regional elections, Northern Ireland for the first time in its history is on the verge of electing a nationalist leader supporting unification.
In voting for the province's 90-member national Assembly, Sinn Fein defeated the Democratic Unionist Party (‘DUP’), earning 27 seats and the largest number of first preference votes. In comparison, the DUP has 25 seats, and the Alliance Party has 17.
According to media reports, the counting of votes ended early on Sunday, with all 90 seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly being filled.
For the first time, Sinn Fein is the largest party in the assembly and can designate a first minister. The party believes Northern Ireland should not be part of the United Kingdom and supports a united Ireland.
The Sinn Fein president told reporters that now is the time for Ireland to prepare for constitutional change among shifting sentiments. The president believes in and asserts the need for a peaceful transition.
After decades of violent fighting known as The Troubles, a condition in the 1998 peace accords reached between the British and Irish governments specified that a referendum on Irish unification might be called if it appeared likely that the majority of voters would support it.
However, despite the results of Thursday's election, that day likely remains a long way off. Nevertheless, Sinn Fein's election as Northern Ireland's largest party may compel a discussion on the so-called border vote.
Sinn Fein was once closely associated with the IRA, which fought a bloody three-decade military campaign to end British rule and unite Ireland, but it has since repositioned itself as a grassroots left-wing political party focused on social issues both north and south of the border.
The party runs in British Parliament elections but does not take any of the seats it wins. It previously performed well in the Republic of Ireland's 2020 general election.
