Northern Ireland has a government again after two years. The new government was sworn in on Saturday. Michelle O'Neill was appointed Prime Minister. This is the first time that a person from the nationalist Sinn Féin party has held this position.
The Northern Ireland government fell in early 2022 after the Democratic Unionist Party withdrew its support. The party did this because of dissatisfaction with the rules for transporting goods between the island of Ireland and Great Britain. These rules have become stricter since Brexit.
Last week, an agreement was reached with the British government regarding trade between the two regions. As a result, the Democratic Unionist Party withdrew the boycott.
New elections have already been held in Northern Ireland in May 2022. Sinn Féin received the largest number of votes. The party supports Northern Ireland's secession from the United Kingdom and its reunification with Ireland.
“Today opens the door to a shared future,” O’Neill said at her inauguration. She stressed that the government is there for all the people of Northern Ireland, whether they want to be associated with the United Kingdom or Ireland. “We have an opportunity to work and grow together.”
Emma Little Pengelly has been appointed Deputy First Minister on behalf of the Democratic Unionist Party. She said she would do everything in her power to “secure Northern Ireland's future”.
Nationalisten en unionisten
- Ierland bestaat sinds 1921 uit twee twee landen: de Republiek Ierland en Noord-Ierland.
- Nationalisten zijn voor een samenvoeging van Noord-Ierland en de Republiek Ierland.
- Zij willen dat Noord-Ierland zich afscheidt van het Verenigd Koninkrijk, waar het samen met Engeland, Schotland en Wales deel van uitmaakt.
- Unionisten willen dat Noord-ierland onderdeel blijft van het Verenigd Koninkrijk.
- Unionisten worden ook wel loyalisten genoemd, omdat ze ‘loyaal’ zijn aan de Engelse kroon.
