Turnout increases in snap Northern Ireland election

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

BELFAST, Northern Ireland

As results were being counted in Northern Ireland’s snap Assembly elections on Friday, it was revealed turnout was up nearly 10 percent on last year’s poll.

Northern Ireland’s Electoral Office disclosed turnout was nearly 65 percent, bucking the trend of declining voting in many national and European elections in other parts of the EU.

The pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is still expected to win most of the 90 seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly despite suffering a backlash over allegations of financial mismanagement.

The Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party secured two seats in early counts, and is expected to be the second-largest party.

Final results from all 18 constituencies are due on Saturday.

Northern Ireland’s voters went to the polls on Thursday, to return a new local parliament after a power-sharing deal between Irish nationalists and pro-British parties collapsed earlier this year.

It was the U.K. region’s second election in 10 months.

In essence, the election is two contests, with Catholics mostly voting for parties which want a united, independent Ireland and Protestant voters largely supporting pro-U.K. unionist parties.

Until a financial scandal over a botched state-backed heating scheme -- which could cost the taxpayer £500 million ($614 million) -- the DUP led by First Minister Arlene Foster shared power in an uneasy alliance with their Irish nationalist Sinn Fein opponents, led by party president Gerry Adams.

When Foster’s Sinn Fein deputy withdrew from the local administration, the U.K.’s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire was forced to announce a March 2 election.

However, it is unclear if power sharing between local parties will resume after Thursday’s election, or if a period of direct rule from London beckons.