The Parliament of Northern Ireland appointed an Irish nationalist as prime minister for the first time today, which is a historic turning point in the country established a century ago to ensure the dominance of pro-British unionists, writes the Reuters agency.
The appointment of Michelle O'Neill is the latest sign of the rise in the British region of the Sinn Fein party, which has said its ultimate dream of a united Ireland is "within reach".
The appointment comes after Sinn Fein's pro-British rival, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), officially ended a two-year boycott of the government after a deal was reached with the British government this week to ease differences over trade issues.
"This is a historic day that represents a new dawn. I will serve everyone equally and I will be prime minister to everyone. I am sorry for all the lives lost during the conflict without exception," O'Neill (47) told the assembly.
Britain's Minister for the Regions Chris Heaton-Harris said the government renewal was a "big day for Northern Ireland".
O'Neill represents a transition to a new generation of Sinn Fein politicians who are not directly involved in the decades-long bloody conflict in the region between Irish nationalists seeking a united Ireland and pro-British unionists who want to remain in the United Kingdom.
As the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Sinn Féin has long shunned the political establishment on both sides of the border. It is now the most popular party in the Republic of Ireland. The post of Deputy Prime Minister, which has equal power but less symbolic weight, was taken by Emma Little Pengelly from the DUP.
There was heavy security around the assembly building, but there was no trouble.
Opposition to O'Neill's appointment was led by the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), which also rejected the DUP's trade deal.
The referendum is the responsibility of the British government, and opinion polls consistently show a clear majority in favor of remaining part of the United Kingdom, according to Reuters.
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