7mNorthern Ireland elections
They’ve lost the election – but Sinn Fein have hailed last night’s result as a “watershed moment” in Northern Ireland politics. The republicans came within one seat of the Democratic Unionist Party and have – for the first time – prevented the unionists having a majority at Stormont. Under the rules of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the DUP and Sinn Fein – as the two biggest parties – now have three weeks to come up with a power-sharing arrangement.