Sinn Fein calls for the unlocking of Stormont
- Sinn Fein won the municipal elections in Northern Ireland for the first time, earning 144 councillors from the 462, 39 more than four years ago. For the Republican Party, this should serve to resume the Stormont Parliament, which blocks unionism.
The elections were held on 18 May, but the whole story ended on Sunday. Participation was 54%. Sinn Feinn gets 30.9% of the votes, 7.7 points higher than in the previous municipal elections, almost a third of the total. In view of the success it is having in the last elections, an increase was expected, but it could be said that it has exceeded all expectations.
Sinn Fein has been the strongest force in six regions, including Belfast, the capital. The DUP Unionist party will have a majority in five regions. Sinn Fein has voted in all regions and in all sectors of society, especially among young people. And besides attracting the votes of the new generations, he has kept his usual vote.
The DUP has been the unionist party with the second force, with 23.3% of the votes and maintaining its 120 seats. The great results of Sinn Fein are not good news for unionism, but the DUP is pleased with the result and interprets that its electorate has supported the boycott of the Stormont Parliament.
Parliament elections were held in May 2022, won for the first time by Sinn Fein and since then the DUP has blocked government formation because of its discrepancies with the border rules set by the Brexit agreements between the UK and Ireland. According to the Good Friday Agreements, which are 25 years old, the autonomous government of Northern Ireland must be completed between Republicans and Unionists, but in the case of Sinn Fein, the leadership of the government has been boycotted by the DUP.
Alliance up, UUP and SDLP down
The alliance has been the third force with 65 councillors, 14 more than four years ago. The results show a strong attachment to the East, which has sought to enter the West, although it has not had too many results in this area.
The Unionist Party of UUP Ulster that has remained third in recent years has been the biggest loser, with 10.9% (-3.2) of votes and a fourth seat with 53 seats, 21 less. A great loss, but more if we consider that it lost thirteen in the previous elections.
The other loser is the SDLP, the classic Social Democratic Party of the Irish nationalists, which is weakening in recent years with the strengthening of Sinn Fein. Gets 8.7% of the votes (-3.3 points) and 39 councillors (-20).
The Treaty of Good Friday of Northern Ireland, which has become a world benchmark in the resolution of armed conflicts, has reached a quarter century. The 1998 agreement was aimed primarily at ending violence. Violence has been greatly reduced, but it does not disappear. For... [+]
Belfasteko alkatea da iragan ekainaren 3tik. Sinn Feineko alkatea. Ez da alderdi horretako lehena baina, alderdi unionisten hainbeste urtetako nagusitasunaren ondoren, oraindik ere berezia egiten da. Datorren urteko ekainera arte izango da alkate. Bere leloa:... [+]
1998ko bake akordioa baino lehenago egin ziren krimenenen akusazioak ez lirateke epaitegietara helduko. Aldekoek, berradiskidetzarako derrigorrezko neurria dela diote; oposizioak esan du erabakia “iraingarria” dela biktimentzat.
Mother and Baby Homes Commision of Investigation (Amen eta Haurren Etxeen inguruko Ikerketa Batzordea) erakundeak gauzatu du ikerketa. Aztergaiak agerian utzi ditu Elizaren menpeko harrera etxeetan haurrek eta emakume ezkongabeek zein alargunek jasandako bizi baldintza... [+]
Ipar Irlandako Fiskaltzak iragarri duenez, froga faltagatik ez dituzte prozesatuko ustez hamahiru lagunen hilketan parte hartu zuten soldaduak. Familiek etsigarritzat jo dute erabakia.
Hizkuntza Gutxituen Europako Gutuna sinatu badu ere, Erresuma Batuak ez ditu bete itunak ezartzen dizkion betebeharrak. Kornubiera, Irlandako gaelera eta Ulsterko eskoziera dira kaltetuak, Europako Kontseiluak argitaratutako txostenaren arabera.
Europako Batasuna 1993an sortu zenetik kide berriak gehitu dira bata bestearen atzetik. Joan den ostiralera arte 28 estatuk osatu dute makro-egitura politiko eta ekonomiko hori. Izan ere, urtarrilaren 31 historiara pasako da, EBk izan duen lehen zatiketaren eguna izan delako... [+]