What's happened
Sinn F\u00e9in's Michelle O'Neill becomes Northern Ireland's first nationalist first minister, marking a historic shift in power-sharing.
Why it matters
The appointment of Sinn F\u00e9in's Michelle O'Neill as Northern Ireland's first minister marks a historic shift in power-sharing and is significant for Irish nationalism.
What the papers say
The Guardian says O'Neill's appointment breathes new life into the republican slogan 'our day will come', while The Times of Israel emphasizes the significance of Sinn F\u00e9in's Michelle O'Neill becoming the first nationalist first minister. Al Jazeera highlights the increasing popularity of Sinn F\u00e9in and its belief that a united Ireland may be 'within touching distance'.
How we got here
The power-sharing government in Northern Ireland was restored after the Democratic Unionist Party ended a two-year boycott over Brexit trade rules.
More on these topics
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Northern Ireland is variously described as a country, province or region which is part of the United Kingdom. Located in the northeast of the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland.
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The Democratic Unionist Party is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland favouring British identity. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years.
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Sir Jeffrey Mark Donaldson is a British politician who is the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley in Northern Ireland.
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Sinn Féin is a centre-left to left-wing Irish republican political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
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Parliament Buildings, often referred to as Stormont because of its location in the Stormont Estate area of Belfast, is the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for the region.
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the northwestern coast of the European mainland.
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Michelle O'Neill is an Irish politician serving as deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland since 2020. She has served as Vice President of Sinn Féin since 2018 and has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mid Ulster since 2007.
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Brexit is the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Following a UK-wide referendum in June 2016, in which 52% voted to leave and 48% voted to remain in the EU, the UK Government which was then led by Theresa May formally declared the c
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Rishi Sunak is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2022.