Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill appointed Northern Ireland’s first minister
Al Jazeera
O’Neill is the first nationalist to hold the post as the government returns to work after a two-year boycott by the unionists.
Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill has been formally appointed Northern Ireland’s first minister by the regional parliament, the first time an Irish nationalist is leading the United Kingdom territory’s devolved government.
O’Neill’s appointment, confirmed by the speaker, on Saturday came after the rival Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the biggest pro-UK party, ended a two-year boycott of the region’s power-sharing government after striking a deal with the UK government to ease trade frictions.
“This is an historic day and it does represent a new dawn,” she told fellow legislators after her selection.
O’Neill’s ascent to the role is the latest sign of the increasing popularity across the island of her Sinn Fein party that now believes its ultimate dream of a united Ireland may be “within touching distance”.
