Mary Lou McDonald, leader of the left-wing nationalist Irish party Sinn Féin, has called on the United Kingdom to start preparations for the reunification of Ireland with Northern Ireland if her party wins in early elections.
According to McDonald, an Irish government led by Sinn Féin would take immediate steps toward the party’s longstanding goal of Irish unification.
In addition, there needs to be dialogue with the British government, with the government of [British Prime Minister] Keir Starmer, within this decade. The British government should start now, specifying what they see as a tipping point after which a referendum would be announced, she added.
Previously, the Irish nationalist leader suggested that a reunification referendum could take place by 2030.
The 1998 Good Friday Agreement ended the civil conflict in Northern Ireland between supporters of remaining part of the United Kingdom and those favoring reunification with Ireland. It allows for a referendum on changing Northern Ireland’s status if evidence shows a shift in public sentiment in the region, though the criteria for such a shift have not been agreed upon or publicly announced.
