22 May 2023; AA: Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein achieved a significant victory in Northern Ireland's local elections, becoming the largest party for the first time, according to local media reports.
Following the completion of vote counting late Saturday, Sinn Fein, which advocates for the unification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, secured 144 out of 462 local government seats.
This marked an increase of 39 seats compared to the previous local government elections in 2019.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), its main rival, obtained 122 seats, while the centrist Alliance Party secured 67.
Michelle O'Neill, the vice president of Sinn Fein, described the results as "momentous."
She emphasized that the party's success sent a clear message from voters that Northern Ireland's power-sharing government, which has been stagnant for over a year, must resume its activities and address the pressing issues facing the region.
