Polarisation in Northern Ireland poll

Sinn Fein is now the second largest party in the North of 
Ireland, behind Ian Paisley's DUP (Democratic Unionist Party). 
With first counts completed in last week's election, the DUP is 
on 26 percent and is tentatively predicted to win 31 seats in the 
next Assembly.

Sinn Fein secured 24 percent of the vote and is predicted to win 
26 seats, a dramatic increase on its 18 seats in the last 
Assembly.

At stake in the election were six assembly seats in each of 
Northern Ireland's 18 electoral districts, or 108 seats.

The election was carried out under a system of proportional 
representation combined with preferential voting.

David Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party has secured 23 percent of 
the first preferences and should win 24 seats.

Trailing in fourth place is the SDLP (Social Democratic and Labor 
Party), which won 17 percent of the vote but may win 21 or 22 
seats.

Sinn Fein performed strongly in Belfast. Francie Brolly has 
gained a first seat for Sinn Fein in East Derry.

Republican News in reporting the election result says that the 
prospect of Ian Paisley being nominated as First Minister-elect 
and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister-elect 
in the new Executive will pose huge problems for the peace 
process. A DUP member declared that any DUP member engaging in 
talks with Sinn Fein would be expelled from the party.

The Assembly was suspended over a year ago and remains suspended 
over escalating unionist demands over IRA arms decommissioning.