Magherafelt (Northern Ireland). Shortly after 3pm, the entire nomenklatura of Ourselves. In the lead, besieged by journalists, the future first local minister Michelle O’Neill and its political “pygmalion”, the national leader of the republican nationalists Mary Lou McDonaldred pasionaria handkerchief around the neck.
The old leader is missing, as for some time Gerry Adams, from the curriculum too uncomfortable. As soon as he sees them, the unionist leader and great loser, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, turns and goes away. Northern Ireland’s past and future don’t even look each other in the face.
Because “this is a new era,” announces 45-year-old O’Neill, who entered politics with the former political arm of the IRA terrorists after the 1998 Good Friday Peace. Sir Jeffrey chews bitter. Shortly thereafter, the epochal announcement arrives: Ourselveswith at least 27 seats in the local Parliament Stormont, it becomes the first party.
Elections in Northern Ireland, is reunification possible?
by our correspondent Antonello Guerrera
06 Maggio 2022
Sinn Fein first party: historic turning point
A new world is opening up: for the first time in history, 101 years after the partition of the island, it will be republican Catholics, and not unionists, to indicate the prime minister of Northern Ireland. The party and the hugs between women and men in green by Sinn Féin explode.
“When we take office on Monday, we will begin the new era,” O’Neill and McDonald promise to those present, “and we will help citizens cope with the economic crisis.” But it is very unlikely that Donaldson and the Dup will let them: they have promised that they will boycott Sinn Féin, if first Boris Johnson it will not tear up the Brexit protocol which imposes a customs border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland to avoid another on the island and protect peace.
The victory of Sinn Fein, the Dup and the future of Northern Ireland
This is the table, long from Belfast to Brussels, on which the whole game and the future of Northern Ireland are now being played.
Sir Jeffrey, 59, a Westminster MP and former unionist paramilitary, seemed less extremist than usual: “Let’s see about the government, based on developments on the Brexit protocol.” Apparently, a clear message to Boris Johnson: stop the protocol – for what would be a head-on confrontation with Europe – or here we make political barricades. With unpredictable consequences, given the growing tension and encirclement syndrome in the Protestant community.
Brexit, the border problem and the challenge of the Dup unionists
In fact, the Duptorn by the choice to support Brexit and squeezed between moderate unionists on the run and extremists alike, the table wants to blow it up. A senior source from the top unionist party tells us that “it would not be enough for us if Johnson triggered Article 16 of the Brexit protocol with the EU: so he would only suspend it. For us, however, the protocol must disappear”. But does he know it’s impossible? “And then we will not run the government with Sinn Féin. There will be six months of quagmire, and we will return to the vote and we will win back. We will stop at nothing”.
Sinn Féin’s challenge in divided Belfast: “We win the elections”
by our correspondent Antonello Guerrera
04 Maggio 2022
