Northern Ireland: According to the BBC, Sinn Féin is clearly ahead in the election

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Sinn Féin politician Michelle O'Neill is happy about the many votes

PHOTO: CLODAGH KILCOYNE / REUTERS

The Catholic Republican party Sinn Féin received the highest share of the vote in the Northern Ireland regional parliament election after the first round of counting.

That reports the BBC.

Accordingly, with 29 percent of the votes, Sinn Féin is well ahead of the second strongest party, the DUP, with 21.3 percent.

As the Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported, citing Sinn Féin circles, the party is confident that it will also get the most seats in the regional parliament.

Sinn Féin boss Michelle O'Neill called for a debate on unification with the Republic of Ireland after the election.

"Let's all work on a common plan," O'Neill told the German Press Agency in the Northern Irish city of Magherafelt.

However, the counting of the votes is still ongoing.

It is expected to drag on into Saturday.

The voting system in Northern Ireland requires multiple counting rounds.

The exact distribution of the seats will only be known after the conclusion of the meeting.

Regarding the expectation that her party would become the strongest force in the Northern Ireland Assembly for the first time, O'Neill said: "It would be a historic result if we were to get there." Sinn Féin was once considered the political arm of the militant organization IRA, the fought at gunpoint for a union of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland.

Dispute united Ireland

If the expectations are confirmed, the party will be given the right to nominate the head of government in a future unity government.

So far, this post has always been occupied by parties that advocate maintaining the union with Great Britain.

However, the formation of a government could fail due to the resistance of the Protestant Unionist DUP (Democratic Unionist Party), which would have to appoint a representative with equal rights.

According to the 1998 peace agreement known as the Good Friday Agreement, the strongest parties from both denominational camps must form a unity government.

According to this, the British government can call a referendum if there is a majority in favor of uniting Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland.

Great Britain's exit from the EU has given the Northern Ireland issue new explosiveness and, above all, led to discussions about the border between the British province and EU member Ireland.

atb/dpa/Reuters