Northern Ireland's devolved government has reconvened with Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill appointed as first minister, a historic first for Irish nationalism. The Stormont assembly nominated the County Tyrone republican as the region's first nationalist leader since the partition of Ireland in 1921, marking a symbolic shift in the political landscape.
In her inaugural address, O'Neill struck a conciliatory tone, avoiding any explicit mention of Irish unity and focusing on reconciliation and everyday concerns. "Wherever we come from, whatever our aspirations, we can and must build our future together," she said, adding that the appointment represented "a new dawn" and that "that state is now gone" in reference to past discrimination against Catholics.
The power-sharing executive was restored after the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) ended its two-year boycott, which began in February 2022 over post-Brexit trading arrangements. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson secured concessions from the UK government to smooth the so-called Irish Sea border. O'Neill's appointment follows the May 2022 assembly election, in which Sinn Féin overtook the DUP as the largest party, a seismic political change.
O'Neill will share leadership with Emma Little-Pengelly of the DUP as deputy first minister, a role with equal power but less prestige. Ministerial positions will be allocated among Sinn Féin, the DUP, the Alliance, and the Ulster Unionist party using the D'Hondt mechanism, while the justice ministry will be decided through a cross-community vote. The Social Democratic and Labour party will form the opposition.
The executive faces a daunting agenda, including a fiscal crisis, crumbling public services, and eroded public trust. The restoration unlocks a £3.3bn UK government package, which includes pay rises for striking public sector workers. Donaldson acknowledged that "the finance piece is unfinished business," indicating parties will seek additional funding from the Treasury.
Business leaders and the Irish government welcomed the return of power sharing as a stabilising step after years of Brexit-related turbulence. The UK government unveiled new rules to reduce checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, replacing them with a "UK internal market system" for goods remaining within the UK. The House of Commons approved the measures on Thursday without a formal vote, despite concerns from Brexiters about the region's continued alignment with EU law.
