Sinn Fein Northern Ireland win fuels unification call

Sinn Fein, representing Irish nationalists, has emerged as the largest party in the elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is a record of sorts, considering that the party was long associated with the paramilitary Irish Republican Army that for decades attempted to separate Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom through violence. The victory of Sin Fein has the potential to change the geographical contours of the United Kingdom as we know it today. Scotland has already taken the initiative to leave the United Kingdom. Its national referendum in 2014 could not muster the needed support and a second one is on cards. Sinn Fein is already ideologically bent on unifying the northern part with the Republic of Ireland. That would directly impact links with the United Kingdom. Exactly a century ago a large part of Ireland seceded from the Kingdom to become a free state. However, six counties, known as Northern Ireland, remained within the Kingdom under the Anglo-Irish Treaty. It is a coincidence that for the first time in Northern Ireland, a pro-British unionist party, the Democratic Unionist Party, stands relegated to the second position. However, the coast is not all clear for Sinn Fein. First of all, it has to succeed in forming the government. Northern Ireland has a delicate power-sharing system wherein the government can only be formed when the posts of First Minister and Deputy First Minister are filled. Both have equal status. Sinn Fein proposes the name of its Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill as First Minister. However, DUP refuses to forward a namefor the deputy First Minister on the pretext that its demand for post-Brexit border arrangements is not yet met. The issue relates to customs and border checks on Northern Ireland's border with the European Union.

If the impasse continues, then the ministers from the previous government will remain in power. A new election will be held if the issue is not resolved even after 24 weeks. Even if it manages to form the government, Sinn Fein cannot start work towards shifting Northern Ireland from the Kingdom to the Republic. A referendum is required for it and that is at the discretion of the British government. And given London's mood, the step is years away. For the present, Sinn Fein's victory is hugely symbolic and ends century-old domination by pro-British political parties.