Sinn Féin's votes surges as republicans potentially draw level with the DUP
09:00
Update - 11.52pm: The Stormont election is set to deliver a significant boost to nationalism at the expense of unionists.
Sinn
Fein's vote has surged and the republicans could come within a seat or
two of drawing level with the DUP - a party that came into the snap
election holding 10 more seats.
Ulster Unionist leader Mike
Nesbitt announced his resignation after his party suffered losses in a
poll he predicted would deliver big gains.
Whatever the final
shakedown when the counts conclude on Saturday, unionist representatives
are unlikely to hold a symbolic overall majority in the slimmed-down
Assembly chamber. They are still set to secure more seats than
nationalists and republicans - given the number of cross-community
Assembly members - but the gap will have narrowed sharply.
While Mr Nesbitt held his Assembly seat, other high-profile MLAs were not so lucky.
The SDLP's Alex Attwood, the UUP's Danny
Kennedy, and the DUP's Nelson McCausland and Lord Morrow were four
former Executive ministers who failed to secure a return to a Stormont
legislature that is being cut from 108 to 90 members.
Away from Mr Nesbitt's dramatic announcement, the story of the election has been the surge in support for Sinn Fein.
The republican party came extremely close to securing more first preference votes than the long-time largest party, the DUP.
While
the DUP saw its vote dip, the travails of the UUP means it is still set
to reaffirm its position as the main voice of unionism.
Party
insiders will take some solace from that, given so much of the election
campaign was focused on the party's handling of a botched green energy
scheme.
With the UUP failing to make any ground on the DUP, former TV anchor Mr Nesbitt fell on his sword.
His
campaign pledge to transfer a second preference vote to the nationalist
SDLP appears to have been his undoing, with unionist voters clearly not
keen on him voicing support for any candidate who favoured a united
Ireland.
Indicating that he will remain in position while his
successor is found, Mr Nesbitt said it had been an "absolute honour" to
lead the party.
"In pure terms, the buck stops here," he said.
He said his real regret was that Northern Ireland society appeared to have emerged from the election more polarised.
Mr Nesbitt said the electorate had rejected his hope for a post-sectarian vote.
"We
will get there," he said. "Some day Northern Ireland will vote as a
normal democracy. We will vote in a post-sectarian election, but it's
now clear it will not happen during the duration of my political
career."
Mr Nesbitt will remain a Strangford MLA.
Sinn
Fein's northern leader Michelle O'Neill said: "I think it's a brilliant
day for equality, I think it's a great day for democracy.
"I want to particularly commend all of our candidates that have been elected.
"The
vote has increased. I think that is because people knew that action
needed to be taken, they have had their say, we now need to get down to
the business of fixing what's wrong and delivering for all citizens."
The
poll was forced after Sinn Fein pulled the plug on the powersharing
institutions in protest at DUP first minister Arlene Foster's handling
of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - an error-ridden scheme that left
Stormont facing a potential overspend of almost £500 million.
The campaign exposed other major policy disputes between the parties.
After
being elected in her Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency, Mrs
Foster said: "I think it's very clear that was absolutely not about RHI.
It may have been the excuse but it certainly wasn't the cause of the
election.
"The cause of the election was Sinn Fein and
republicanism wanting to rerun the election, they have mobilised their
vote in a very effective way.
"I am pleased that the DUP has come
out as the largest party in terms of votes. It is very clear in terms of
unionism that it is the Democratic Unionist Party that speaks for
unionism."
She added: "I do hope devolution will get back up and running as quickly as possible."
The DUP and Sinn Fein will have three weeks to resolve their multiple differences and form a new administration.
The re-imposition of direct rule from London is on the cards if the post-election talks fail.
If
the three-week post-election deadline passes, Northern Ireland
Secretary James Brokenshire is legally obliged to call yet another
election.
In those circumstances, the Government may pass
emergency legislation to suspend devolution for the first time in 10
years ahead of more lengthy negotiations.
Update - 8.10pm: Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt has quit after his party's poor showing in the Assembly election.
With
the UUP failing to make any ground on the Democratic Unionists, and
losing a number of high-profile seats, the former TV anchor fell on his
sword.
His campaign pledge to transfer a second preference vote to
the nationalist SDLP appears to have been his undoing, with unionist
voters clearly not keen on him voicing support for any candidate that
favoured a united Ireland.
He said that he will remain in position while his successor is found.
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