12:51 EDT, 29 April 2021
LONDON (AP) - Northern Ireland s Democratic Unionist Party is looking for a new leader following First Minister Arlene Foster s announcement that she will be standing down after nearly 5 1/2 years in the post.
Following weeks of pressure related to her handling of Brexit and her perceived softening on social issues such as abortion and LGBT rights, Foster said she would step down as leader of the party on May 28 and as first minister of Northern Ireland at the end of June.
Her successor, who will be the party s fourth leader, is set to be chosen in a ballot of the party s lawmakers in the U.K. Parliament in London as well as those in Northern Ireland s power-sharing assembly in Belfast.
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Sinn Fein has insisted it will not be playing games around the appointment of a new look Executive leadership team following Arlene Foster’s departure.
The process of replacing Mrs Foster as First Minister will involve a nomination process at Stormont, which will require Sinn Fein to also re-nominate its deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill.
The looming exit of Mrs Foster has already prompted speculation that the nomination process may become a friction point that could destabilise the powersharing administration.
A refusal by ether side to nominate would mean a functioning executive could not be formed, triggering a chain of events that, if not arrested, would ultimately end in a snap election.
Sinn Fein has insisted it will not be playing games around the appointment of a new look Executive leadership team following Arlene Foster’s departure.
The process of replacing Mrs Foster as First Minister will involve a nomination process at Stormont, which will require Sinn Fein to also re-nominate its deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill.
The looming exit of Mrs Foster has already prompted speculation that the nomination process may become a friction point that could destabilise the powersharing administration.
A refusal by ether side to nominate would mean a functioning executive could not be formed, triggering a chain of events that, if not arrested, would ultimately end in a snap election.
Sinn Fein has insisted it will not be playing games around the appointment of a new look Executive leadership team following Arlene Foster’s departure.
The process of replacing Mrs Foster as First Minister will involve a nomination process at Stormont, which will require Sinn Fein to also re-nominate its deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill.
The looming exit of Mrs Foster has already prompted speculation that the nomination process may become a friction point that could destabilise the powersharing administration.
A refusal by ether side to nominate would mean a functioning executive could not be formed, triggering a chain of events that, if not arrested, would ultimately end in a snap election.