[Epoch Times, May 8, 2022](The Epoch Times reporter Wang Xiang compiled and reported) The British 2022 Northern Ireland parliamentary election results were released, Sinn Fein became the largest political party in the Northern Ireland parliament for the first time, and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from the past The largest party retreated to the second largest party.
It is believed that this will test the stability of the UK’s future regional decentralization management and post-Brexit trade regulation negotiations.
After local elections on May 5, Sinn Fein had 27 seats and the Democratic Unionist Party had 24. There are still two votes left to be announced, but Sinn Fein has become the first Irish nationalist party to secure control of parliament.
Sinn Fein won 29 percent of the first-choice vote, compared with 21.3 percent for the Democratic Unionist Party.
“Today represents a very important moment of change. It’s a defining moment for our politics and our people,” Sinn Fein head of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill said.
Reuters reported that a Sinn Fein victory would not change the status of Northern Ireland, as the referendum needed to leave the UK was decided by the British government and could be several years away.
But its victory was symbolic, ending a century of governance by the Democratic Unionist Party, a pro-British party largely supported by Protestants in the region.
If nothing else, after becoming the largest political party in the region, O’Neill will be the first candidate for the chief minister of the new Northern Ireland government. The Democratic Unionist Party can only serve as the deputy chief, but in the situation of decentralization in Northern Ireland, the appointment of chief The ministerial process could drag on for months.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has said Northern Ireland will not join the government unless its trade deal with the rest of the UK is overhauled after Brexit.
Sinn Fein has long been shunned by political establishments on both sides of the Irish border because of its links to IRA violence. In recent years, Sinn Fein has actively reshaped its image and has become a strong political force in the Irish Party after breaking away from its previous leaders.
During the 2022 campaign, it has focused on livelihood issues such as cost of living and health care. But its predecessor leaders still advocated the return of Northern Ireland to Ireland.
Responsible editor: Lin Yan #