A new balance of power in Northern Ireland

The Irish Passport

A seismic election in Northern Ireland returned the pro-Irish unity Sinn Féin as the largest party for the first time ever. The Alliance Party, identifying neither as nationalist nor unionist, surged to become the third force in northern politics in another historic first. Desite this, the power-sharing executive has yet to be formed due to the opposition of the unionist Democratic Unionist Party. They are demanding changes to the so-called Protocol as their price of going into power, though many suspect that behind it lies an inherent opposition to allowing nationalists to take the symbolic top post of First Minister. It's propelled Northern Irish politics onto the international stage once again, with the British government threatening to break international law to get what it wants from the European Union. Naomi and Tim sum it all up, and discuss what comes next. Featuring guests Stephen Farry, a member of parliament and Alliance's deputy leader, and Freya McClements, the Northern editor of the Irish Times. To hear our bonus episodes answering questions put by our Patreon supporters, sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport You can follow us on Twitter at @PassportIrish