Northern Ireland is up for re-election

Chris Heaton-Harris, Britain’s minister for Northern Ireland, announced in Belfast that regional parliamentary elections will be held for the second time this year after a joint administration failed to be established due to party disagreements. Heaton-Harris stated that he will announce the details of the election next week.

Saying she has listened to party leaders and will meet with all of them again next week, Heaton-Harris said: “But I will ask for re-election. Legally, I have to do this.” he used his statements.

Heaton-Harris added that it was “deeply disappointing” to be faced with limited options.

FEIN WON THE ELECTION

Sinn Fein, which advocated separation from England and union with the Republic of Ireland, won parliamentary elections in Northern Ireland on May 5.

Regarded as the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Sinn Fein won 27 seats in parliament, while the opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) retained 24. With this result, for the first time in the 100-year history in the region, an Irish nationalist party had the opportunity to take the lead in the elections and appoint a prime minister. However, under Northern Ireland’s exclusive power-sharing agreement, the first and second parties must jointly manage the region.

After the elections, the DUP’s declaration that it would not allow the formation of a new government unless there were significant changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol ignited discussions in the region.

The DUP argues that the trade barrier introduced by the protocol, which includes Northern Ireland’s continued subjection to EU customs union rules, and new controls and procedures for certain goods imported into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK Kingdom, is hurting the economy of Northern Ireland. .

Furthermore, the DUP sees the protocol as an “existential threat” to the future of Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.

The party is also adamant that it will not allow a new government to form in Northern Ireland unless there are substantial changes to protocol.

YOU CANNOT ELECT A NEW PRESIDENT IN PARLIAMENT

After the regional parliamentary elections on May 5, in which Sinn Fein, which advocated secession from Great Britain, came first in Northern Ireland, the process failed because the second party, the DUP, did not support the election process of the new president of parliament on May 13.

Due to disagreements between Sinn Fein and the DUP over the Northern Ireland Protocol, the DUP blocked the election of the speaker of parliament for the second time on 30 May, so the speaker of parliament was not elected in parliament.

ENGLAND TAKES ACTION

In the British parliament, the process of the bill continues, which contemplates the unilateral modification of some articles of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which generates tension with the European Union (EU).

The government remains committed to the bill that provides for the unilateral modification of the protocol.

The EU, which reacted harshly to the UK’s attempt to make a unilateral change to the protocol governing trade with Northern Ireland after Brexit, launched legal proceedings against the UK on June 15.

THE NORTHERN IRELAND DISCUSSION PROTOCOL

The Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of the Brexit agreement, regulates trade between Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, which is a member of the EU.

Under the protocol, despite Brexit, Northern Ireland remains subject to the rules of the EU customs union. Trade with the rest of the UK is subject to customs at ports in Northern Ireland.

According to the Belfast Agreement (Good Friday Agreement), which ended the war between separatist Catholics and pro-union Protestants with England, no physical land border can be created where checks can be carried out. Therefore, although it was decided to carry out the controls only at sea, there are problems in its implementation.

Britain wants the protocol to be extensively amended, which it argues threatens the country’s territorial integrity. The EU, on the other hand, does not like to change the protocol. (AA)