London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Dec 27, 2024

NI council elections 2023: Sinn Féin largest party in NI local government

NI council elections 2023: Sinn Féin largest party in NI local government

Sinn Féin is now the largest party in both local government and Stormont for the first time after making huge gains in council elections.

With all seats counted, the party has won 144, up from the 105 councillors returned in 2019.

Its vice-president Michelle O'Neill called for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to end its boycott of power sharing at Stormont.

The DUP has 122 seats, with the centre-ground Alliance Party in third place.

Stormont's assembly and governing executive is not functioning because of the DUP's protest against post-Brexit trading rules.

In last year's assembly election, Sinn Féin became the largest party at Stormont.

Ms O'Neill described the council election result as "historic".

She said Sinn Féin's campaign, which has seen it make breakthroughs in areas such as Coleraine, Ballymena and Lisburn, was about "positive leadership, it was about a restoration of the executive, it was about making politics work".


'Consolidate vote'


DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party wanted to consolidate its vote to have a mandate to seek changes to the post-Brexit rules so it could return to Stormont.

"That's about ensuring that Northern Ireland's ability to trade with the rest of the United Kingdom is not only respected but protected in law, and that our place in the union is restored," he said.

The Alliance Party, which also came third in the 2022 assembly election, has increased its number of councillors from 52 to 67.

This includes its first ever council seats in Ballyclare, Fermanagh and Limavady.


In terms of first preference votes, Sinn Féin, Alliance and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) increased their share from the 2019 council election.

Sinn Féin returned a 30.9% share, an increase of 7.7%.

The DUP dropped by 0.8% to 23.3%, with falls in first preference vote share also for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party's vote had held up well


'Reassertion of Assembly election'


It has been a disappointing election so far for the UUP and the SDLP, which have losses in their overall seat tallies.

UUP leader Doug Beattie said his party's message is clear but not resonating.

"It's clear also that many unionists and people who are pro-union are simply not getting out to vote so we have a real issue getting people out of their doors," he added.

The SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood, said the election had been a "reassertion of the assembly election last year", adding he did not believe he should stand down.

"I have no interest in titles or positions, but if I thought the right course of action was to step down, I would do it in a heartbeat," he said.

In all, 807 candidates competed for seats in Northern Ireland's 11 local councils.

There were 1,380,372 people registered to vote and turnout was 54%.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said the results so far could "marginally increase" the chances of the executive returning.

"The TUV have not landed blows on the DUP; I think the DUP have perhaps more room for manoeuvre," he said.

"From our perspective there should not be a boycott of the assembly - we should be back in."

Fiona McAteer, elected for the Alliance Party in Belfast, celebrated with her husband Richard and daughter Emmie


It has been a mixed picture for other smaller parties in the 2023 council election.

PUP leader Billy Hutchinson, first elected as a Belfast councillor in 1997, lost his seat, with Russell Watton in Causeway Coast and Glens left as the party's only elected representative.

He said there will be a meeting of the party in the coming weeks to determine its future.

Paul McCusker, who left the SDLP in March, was elected as an independent in Belfast


Independent Paul McCusker, who left the SDLP in March, was elected in the Oldpark ward in Belfast.

In the same council, Mal O'Hara, leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland, missed out.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Azerbaijan Airlines Crash Triggers Speculation of Russian Misfire
Western Support for Ukraine Wanes Amidst Trump’s Return and Russian Resurgence
Ukraine Strikes Russian Missile Factory, Deepening Tensions
Ireland's Medieval Ecclesiastical Register Undergoes Conservation
The Closure of the Global Engagement Center: Controversy, Claims, and Conclusions
The Rise of Princess Charlotte: A New Star in the Royal Firmament
Diplomatic Waters: Finland's Seizure of a Russian-linked Vessel in the Baltic Sea
Reform UK Declares Itself the 'Real Opposition' Amid Membership Surge
Pope Francis Opens Holy Door at Major Italian Prison
Britain’s ‘Wild West’ of Weight-Loss Jab Promotions Faces Growing Scrutiny
Pope Francis Urges Unprecedented Dialogue Amid Escalating Ukraine-Russia Tensions
Dozens Survive Kazakhstan Passenger Jet Crash Amid Tragedy
Kazakhstan Air Disaster: Dozens Survive as Authorities Probe Fatal Plane Crash
Postal Workers Demand Government Probe Into Royal Mail 'Fake Deliveries' Scandal
Explosion Sinks Russian Cargo Ship Ursa Major in Mediterranean
Mystery Shrouds U.S. Citizen Gene Spector's 15-Year Espionage Sentence in Moscow
Zelenskyy Alleges 3,000 North Korean Casualties in Russian Conflict
North Korea's Unseen Hand: Over 1,000 Troops Suffer Casualties in Ukraine
Discovery of 50,000-Year-Old Baby Mammoth in Siberia Fascinates Scientists
Magdeburg Attack Fuels AfD's Political Momentum Amid Rising Tensions
In Magdeburg, Germany, a man is arrested by the police for declaring, "I am a Christian."
UK News Roundup: London Shooting, Travel Disruptions, and Legal Battles
UK Economy Teeters on Recession's Edge Amid Revised Growth Figures
Australian Man Captured in Ukraine Conflict; Government Seeks Answers
Zelenskyy’s Push for NATO: A High-Stakes Gamble for Eastern European Stability
Slovak Pragmatism or EU Discord: Prime Minister Fico’s Polarizing Moscow Engagement
The Ripple Effects of a Russian Victory in Ukraine: A Global Tectonic Shift
U.S. Government Shutdown Averted by Last-Minute Agreement
Tragedy in Magdeburg: Saudi Doctor's Alleged Terror Attack at German Christmas Market Ignites Global Security Debate
Tragedy Strikes at Magdeburg Christmas Market: Terror Attack Leaves Five Dead
Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger Discovered in Nursing Home Following Six Months of Inaction
Prince William to End Feudal Land Restrictions in Duchy of Cornwall, but Controversies Remain
British police appear unprepared to deal with usual suspects
Russia's Ballistic Blitz on Kyiv Sends Shockwaves Through Global Stability
Multiple Tragedies and Tensions Mark Global Events: A Closer Look
Elon Musk's AfD Endorsement Ignites Controversy from neo-Nazis who accuse the AfD of being what they themselves are
Ukraine Claims Unprecedented Russian Losses: The Truth Behind Wartime Statistics
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
×