Explained: Northern Ireland Elections And What Does Its Results Hold For The Country¡¯s Future

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a sovereign entity until the introduction of the First Home Rule Bill by Gladstone in 1886. Today post-Brexit, Northern Ireland has a devolved legislature and is not a part of the EU. The island has been in partition for ages but the results of the recent elections might be the start of a new course to unification.

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A brief history

The ramifications of the Easter rising and the First World War led to the partition of the island of Ireland in 1921. The six counties in the island's north-east were divided from the rest of the island, and Northern Ireland took shape with each component intended to function as a separate polity within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

The governance of Northern Ireland is marked by the Good Friday Agreement. The relationship was clear and smooth until the UK decided to pull out of the European Union. This led to the creation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of the UK-EU Brexit agreement and keeps Northern Ireland connected with the EU single market for goods, and establishes a commercial border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the Irish Sea.

The recent elections in Northern Ireland resulted in a historic win for the Republican Party Sinn Fein against the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) that has been in power for a long time .

This win is significant as it is the first time a party supporting a united Ireland has come to power in Northern Ireland. This is evident as Sinn Fein has its roots in the Irish Republican Army (IRA), a paramilitary group that was keen on freeing Northern Ireland from Britain.

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What does the win mean for Northern Ireland?

Although the republican party has won, it is unrealistic to expect an immediate move to unification. Sinn Fein might have won but there is still a strong presence of the DUP in the political catacombs of Northern Ireland.

After winning, the first challenge is to form a government as Northern Ireland follows a power-sharing system wherein the two largest party share the First Minister and Deputy Minister post and have to work together.

The First Minister who is the head of the state can be decided by the largest party in assembly but the Deputy Minister, who is also in par with the First Minister must be delegated to an opposition party member. This system was brought in response to immense violence and was endorsed by the Good Friday Agreement.

Following the elections, analysts predicted that if Sinn Fein won, it would be difficult to create a government and share power with the DUP given that just months ago the DUP First Minister Paul Givan resigned to demonstrate condemnation against the Northern Ireland Protocol which Sinn Fein supports. And as predicted, Michelle O¡¯Neill, Sinn Fein's vice-president is finding it difficult to form a government as Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader refused to nominate any minister until an amicable position is reached on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

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This has prompted the nationalist British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to visit Northern Ireland. The Uk¡¯s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has also been very vocal concerning the protocol.

The possibility of unification is a long way to go given the current disposition of Northern Ireland¡¯s political environment. The immediate difficulties faced by Sinn Fein; to form a government and to come to conclusion about the Northern Ireland Protocol negotiating with three actors, one domestic (the DUP) and the other two, the UK and the EU is crucial in both the parties future and the unification process. This protocol issue can be a foundation by virtue of which the future prospect of unification can turn out.

References:

¡°How does Northern Ireland's power-sharing government work?¡± BBC, 12 May 2022. Accessed 15 May 2022.

¡°NI Election 2022: Prime minister to visit NI as DUP blocks assembly.¡± BBC, 13 May 2022. Accessed 15 May 2022.

¡°Sinn Fein a game changer in Northern Ireland.¡± Daily Pioneer, 14 May 2022. Accessed 15 May 2022.

Sproule, Luke. ¡°NI election results 2022: What does Sinn F¨¦in's vote success mean?¡± BBC, 12 May 2022. Accessed 15 May 2022.

Taylor, Harry. ¡°Sinn F¨¦in leader says Boris Johnson using Northern Ireland as 'pawn' in games with EU.¡± The Guardian, 14 May 2022. Accessed 15 May 2022.