What Sinn Fein's Victory in Northern Ireland Means for Reunification, Brexit Tensions

Sinn Fein's victory in Northern Ireland's legislative election will likely create a near-term political crisis and increase the debate over reunification with the Republic of Ireland, but a referendum on the issue is unlikely in the short-to-medium term. The election will also relaunch negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom over the Northern Ireland protocol, but a trade war between Brussels and London is still possible. Sinn Fein, Northern Ireland's largest republican party, received 29% of the vote and obtained 27 seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly in a legislative election on May 5. This is the first time the party has won a Northern Irish legislative election, which gives it the power to appoint the region's next First Minister. Meanwhile, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) received 21.3% of the vote and 25 seats, and will have the opportunity to appoint a Deputy First Minister. Notably, the centrist...