Sinn Féin has made history by becoming the largest Northern Irish party in the Westminster parliament following an impressive showing in the recent UK general election.
In Northern Ireland, politicians have the option to run for a seat in either the Westminster parliament or the devolved legislature known as the Northern Ireland Assembly, commonly referred to as Stormont.
The Northern Ireland Assembly is responsible for passing laws on various policy areas such as health, education, and policing, while the Westminster parliament oversees matters that have not been devolved, including foreign policy and defense.
Sinn Féin, a nationalist party that advocates for the reunification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, secured seven out of the 18 available seats in the Westminster parliament.
Following a significant victory in the 2022 Assembly elections, Sinn Féin now holds the largest number of seats for a Northern Irish party in both Westminster and Stormont.
It is noteworthy that Sinn Féin MPs do not take their seats in the Westminster parliament as part of the party's stance against recognizing British sovereignty over Northern Ireland.
Michelle O'Neill, the party's leader in Northern Ireland, expressed gratitude for the support received from voters in a social media post, emphasizing the commitment of Sinn Féin candidates to working diligently for positive change.
On the other hand, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the primary Unionist party advocating for Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom, secured a total of five seats, experiencing losses in some traditionally strong constituencies.
