O’Neill could become First Minister of Northern Ireland.
Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill has been re-elected to Stormont on the first count as her party looks set to make history in Northern Ireland.
O’Neill topped the poll in the Mid-Ulster constituency, earning 10,845 first preference votes.
“Absolutely delighted to have been re-elected, along with my two friends Linda Dillon and Emma Sheerin,” she wrote on Twitter after reaching the quote to be elected.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has voted Sinn Féin.
“This is an election of real change.”
Absolutely delighted to have been re-elected, along with my two friends Linda Dillon and Emma Sheerin.
Thank you so much to everyone who has voted Sinn Féin.
This is an election of real change. pic.twitter.com/RA07yJM0Ss
— Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) May 6, 2022
The Northern Ireland Assembly election was held on Thursday (5 May), with votes being counted on Friday.
Opinion polls before the election suggested that it would see Sinn Féin become the largest party, beating out the DUP.
This would mean that Sinn Féin would hold the office of the First Minister.
While the First Minister and Deputy First Minister serve as joint heads of the Northern Ireland Executive, Sinn Féin holding the top position would be a historic move as it would be the first nationalist party ever to do so.
🗳️ The most important election in a generation
🗳️ Sinn Féin set to make history
🗳️ Impact on NI Protocol and border pollAll you need to know about today’s historic Northern Ireland elections in 60 seconds, with @kevcunningham pic.twitter.com/Ify2BnXxZi
— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) May 5, 2022
Meanwhile, opinion polls also predicted that the Alliance Party would make the most gains in the election.
The leader of the party, Naomi Long, was re-elected on the first count in the East Belfast constituency, as was DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson in the Lagan Valley constituency.
Counting of the votes is expected to continue into the early hours of Saturday.
Main image via Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
