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The head of Northern Ireland’s largest political party has agreed to step down just three weeks after taking office, putting an excellent end to the way the government, which shares power in the region, continues.
Edwin Poots announced his resignation in an email sent to the post of leader of the Democratic Unionist Party after a four-hour meeting with DUP officials in Belfast. He shall remain in office until the appointment of his successor.
The unionists, who were brought to power when he promised to be tougher on key unionist issues, challenged the party and agreed concessions with the nationalist Sinn Féin party to save the power-sharing government. fall.
“It has been a difficult time for the party and the country,” Poots said in his resignation statement, adding that “I have conveyed my decision to the President to do everything I can to enable both unionism and Northern Ireland to move forward. To a stronger place.”
Earlier on Thursday, Poots challenged the DUP vote and appointed Paul Givan as the new Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, allowing Stormont to continue his power-sharing government with Sinn Féin as he convinced Westminster to speed up legislation to advance the Irish language.
DUP members opposed both the principle of intervention in London and Sinn Féin winning the concession.
The uprising against Poots is the latest sign of the turmoil in Northern Ireland, fueled by the terms of the UK’s deal with Brexit with the EU.
Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s main MP, publicly criticized the appointment of Givan on Thursday evening and refused to reject the vote of no confidence in his leadership.
“The numbers are worse than against Arlene [Foster]”A person familiar with the situation said before a meeting with party officials that he had lost the support of DUP politicians about the expulsion of Poots’ predecessor in April.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Paul Givan makes his acceptance speech © Brian Lawless / PA
Sinn Féin said it would continue in the administration if legislation to improve the state of the Irish language was passed quickly in Stormont.
The DUP refused, but the blockade was broken on Wednesday night when the UK government announced it would pass Westminster law.
Poots appointed Givan Foster as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin has appointed Michelle O’Neill as deputy prime minister.
Wilson said DUP lawmakers and members of Stormont’s party in a vote Thursday made it “very, very clear” that Poots was immediately opposed to Givan’s appointment.
“It’s hard to ignore strong views from all sections of the party and trust anyone who moves forward,” Wilson added, referring to Poots.
“I guarantee most unionists. . . it will be horrible that he will exercise the powers of the assembly. . . set aside to promote Sinn Féin’s better interest ”.
From left: Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill at Stormont’s press conference © David Young / PA
Poots said Givan would present Sinn Fein “without preconditions” and the aim was to make Northern Ireland a “better place for everyone”.
Sinn Féin chief Mary Lou McDonald said on Wednesday she had asked Westminster to intervene because it was “very clear” that the DUP would not prioritize Irish legislation.
Poots was the DUP leader in less than three weeks when Foster took office after Brexit played an important role in ousting the DUP leader and prime minister.
Deirdre Heenan, a professor of social policy at the University of Ulster, first said that “it is difficult to overstate the strategic and strategic failure of the Poots putch”.
“That DUP [members at Stormont] and it reflects the anger and imbalance of the party that MPs voted against to nominate the prime minister, ”he added.
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