In Northern Ireland the deadline for the formation of a unity government has expired to no avail. The London government must now call new elections.
Belfast – Northern Ireland is heading for general elections. On Friday night (October 28) the deadline for the formation of a unity government in the British provinces expired. In all likelihood, the London government will set the next election date on Friday. The main Protestant party, the DUP, which supports the union of Northern Ireland with Great Britain, had previously confirmed that it did not want to form a government with the Catholic Sinn Fein party. In this case, the new Rishi Sunak government in London will have to call new elections. The new UK minister for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, will be responsible for this.
Sinn Fein aims for reunification with EU member Ireland. The party emerged from the last elections in May 2022 as the strongest force for the first time. The DUP does not like the intended role as a junior partner. The reason for his blockade is the special rules for Northern Ireland that Britain and the EU had agreed upon. The rules create problems in trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the kingdom.
New elections in Northern Ireland: expectations are low
According to German Greens MEP Anna Cavazzini, the forthcoming new elections in Northern Ireland will not resolve the political blockade in the British provinces. “Expectations for these new elections are low in Northern Ireland,” said the chairman of the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee. German news agency.
Cavazzini accused the main Protestant party, the DUP, of the situation. Even a possible deal in the dispute over Brexit special rules between Britain and the EU is unlikely to lead the DUP to accept the formation of a unity government with the strongest Catholic party, Sinn Fein, Cavazzini said. “Because it is not in their interest that the customs issue be resolved for the people and businesses of Northern Ireland.”
New elections in Northern Ireland: the DUP calls for the abolition of the Northern Ireland Protocol
The DUP “has cornered itself demanding the total repeal of the Brexit-Northern Ireland protocol,” Cavazzini said. Brussels and London had agreed on the protocol, which aims to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland in the wake of Brexit. As an ultimatum, the DUP is calling for the abolition of the agreement, which in its view promotes Northern Ireland’s detachment from union with Britain due to British internal trade barriers, as an ultimatum for its entry into government.
Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin’s top candidate to become Northern Ireland’s prime minister after the May general election, condemned the tactics used by the DUP and its leader Jeffrey Donaldson, according to politico.com as “ruthless, shortsighted and useless”. O’Neil added: “The DUP wants yesterday. But this no longer exists. “(Skr / afp / dpa)
