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Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald has urged her party to ensure that Michelle O’Neill is re-elected as first minister in the upcoming assembly election scheduled for next May. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, McDonald reaffirmed her position as party leader following the next election in the Republic of Ireland, dismissing reports of internal dissatisfaction with her leadership. She emphasized that she feels no pressure regarding her role and described Sinn Féin as united, strong, and ready to “motor on.”
During her address at the party conference, McDonald acknowledged the increasing challenges facing the union. She expressed hope that upcoming elections in Scotland and Wales might also bring pro-independence first ministers to power. McDonald reiterated her vision for Irish unity by 2030, but criticized both the UK and Irish governments for neglecting their responsibilities in preparing for a potential referendum. She stated, “Unity is the means by which we achieve the promise of our whole country,” adding firmly that Sinn Féin aims to “fully end British government rule in Ireland.”
Looking ahead to two by-elections for the Dáil next month, McDonald viewed these votes as an opportunity for Sinn Féin to strengthen its position and challenge the ruling parties Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. “We need to keep the pressure on, because we need to get them out,” she said. Meanwhile, party members voted narrowly at the ard fheis to support a ban on fox hunting, a move that has stirred concerns about potential impacts on Sinn Féin’s rural voter base. This development follows previous criticism of the party after its 2021 opposition to a bill banning hunting wild mammals with dogs in Northern Ireland, legislation that is expected to be reintroduced shortly at Stormont.
McDonald rejected suggestions that the party leadership is losing control, pointing to the fox hunting vote as evidence of Sinn Féin members’ influence over party policy. “I know that makes us different from other parties,” she remarked. Meanwhile, First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the United Kingdom’s union as “cracking at the seams.” O’Neill committed to reforming the power-sharing institutions at Stormont, promising that Sinn Féin would present its proposals in the coming weeks. This year’s return of the party’s conference to Belfast was marked by McDonald’s keynote speech, where she highlighted the importance of focusing on internal UK borders and reiterated Sinn Féin’s dedication to the cause of Irish unity, even as questions about her political future persist
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