For the first time in 100 years, Sinn Fein won the Northern Ireland Assembly elections..

Sinn Fein won 27 seats in the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly, becoming the largest faction. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - 24 seats, Alliance Party - 17 seats, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) - nine seats, Social Democratic Labor Party (SDLP) - seven seats.

The main rival of Sinn Fein - loyalists from the Democratic Unionist Party - represent the interests of the Protestant population of the province.

By winning first place in the elections, Sinn Fein got a chance to appoint a first minister, but for this she will have to negotiate with loyalists loyal to the British crown.

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Sinn Fein's election campaign was based on the economic agenda, without focusing on ethno-religious disputes. Among the main topics were rising prices against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, as well as delays in the supply of British products to the region due to the creation of a customs border in the Irish Sea as a result of Brexit.

At the same time, the main goal of the party, as the BBC notes, is a referendum on the secession of Northern Ireland from the UK and unification with the Republic of Ireland..