As the count stretched into a second day Sinn Fein remained on course to become the largest party in local government with 93 councillors elected. Speaking at Belfast City Hall, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said the election results showed “a very strong showing for Sinn Fein right across the north”. “We can’t go on with a situation where turnout in unionist areas is significantly lower than in nationalist areas, you can’t go on with a situation where the unionist vote is continually splitting and splintering. “The result of that is that seats are gifted to Sinn Fein and to others when the unionist vote is split, and when that unionist vote doesn’t transfer sufficiently. “We believe that we need to get Northern Ireland working.

Source: The Herald May 20, 2023 00:08 UTC