Without a government, there are deep cuts in the public sector and tens of thousands of workers are on strike. The picture in Northern Ireland is grim and there are fears the situation could degenerate to the point of calling into question the decades-long peace process in one of the most divided parts of the UK and Europe. The basis of the recent tensions lies in the agreements signed by the United Kingdom with the European Union after Brexit regarding goods transiting through Ireland. The issue, which the unionist centre-right uses as a blackmail weapon, prevents compromise in the management of the political power.
Northern Ireland without a government
Initial troubles date back to May 2022, when the centre-right Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) used its veto over power-sharing with Sinn Féin, led by Michelle O’Neill. The Irish Republican Party has surpassed the DUP in the elections for the first time. The boycott of cooperation between the two parties is unlikely to be resolved any time soon, as there will be a lack of solid cooperation between British ministers and unionist representatives in London. Northern Ireland was ruled directly by Westminster for much of its life, which was characterized by decades of bloodshed throughout the 20th century. Given the refusal of Conservative Foreign Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, transferring power to London does not appear to be a solution even on the agenda. Instead of falling on politicians, the burden of governing the country fell on senior public officials, but their powers remained limited. They lack democratic authority to make decisions about spending and cost reductions.
mass strike
We have moved from a political crisis to a social crisis, with demonstrations and union unrest following each other for months. The peak was reached this week when 16 unions organized a coordinated mass strike. The first in the region in half a century, others may follow. More than 170 thousand workers took part, or almost a fifth of the entire workforce. The massive strike paralyzed transportation, schools and non-emergency health services. The mass demand is for pay rises, which the Northern Irish want to be on par with their English, Welsh and Scottish citizens, have been paralyzed by political stalemate. The pay rises complement wider union agreements signed in the UK years ago. The money is there, but it is not reaching the pockets of Northern Irish workers and pensioners because the relevant ministers in Stormont, the Irish parliament building, are not in office. The UK Treasury is therefore withholding the requested funds.
The weight of Brexit
Despite Britain’s offer to provide £3.3bn of extraordinary financial aid to revive a cross-party agreement in Belfast, powerful unionist MPs shrugged their shoulders and refused to compromise. The DUP’s aim is to win further concessions on Northern Ireland’s complex post-Brexit trade deals, fearing they will move towards a united Ireland, at least on a trade level. Heaton-Harris, who is obliged to call a new election if the institutions are not reinstated by January 18, said she would introduce new legislation at midnight, after the deadline expires, taking a “pragmatic, appropriate and limited approach” to tackling the political impasse. The process of restoring Stormont has passed.
Belfast’s fragile peace
It is feared that a continuation of the political-social crisis could reignite old disputes and undermine the Good Friday Agreement that brought an end to the Northern Ireland conflict. This agreement, which came into force following a popular referendum in 1999, consists of an internal agreement signed by various parties in Northern Ireland, on the one hand, and an international agreement between the government of the United Kingdom and the government of the Republic of Ireland, on the other. Ireland. Even at that time, the only major party opposing it was the DUP. Last April, a day of conflict and tension occurred on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreements and a few hours after the US President’s visit to Belfast.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
