08/06/2009

Sinn Fein Tops NI Euro Poll

Sinn Fein has topped the poll in an historic result in the Northern Ireland European election, which saw UCUNF's Jim Nicholson take the second seat ahead of the DUP.

The republican party beat the DUP to the top spot - breaking its 30 year reign at the European ballot box.

Sinn Fein candidate Bairbre de Brun gained a comfortable lead over the Democratic Unionist's Diane Dodds, who was elected after the fourth count, behind Mr Nicholson.

It was suggested the DUP had suffered from a split in the unionist vote, given that three of the seven candidates represent pro-union parties.

Ms de Brun is the only candidate who won her seat with first preference votes alone. She polled 126,184, putting her over the 121,144 quota.

Ms Dodds received 88,346 first preference votes, estimated to be around 40% lower than 2004.

Jim Nicholson, standing under the banner of the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists New Force (UCUNF), won back his seat, polling 82,893 first votes and meeting the quota in a second count.

However, renegade unionist Jim Allister - the DUP's winning candidate in 2004 - polled well, grabbing a substantial number of votes from Ms Dodds.

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Mr Allister, who is strongly opposed to the DUP/Sinn Fein-led Stormont Executive, won 66,197 first preference votes, but it was not enough and he was eliminated from the third count.

SDLP candidate Alban Maginness missed out on an MEP seat, despite hopes of displacing unionist Mr Nicholson.

Mr Maginness received 78,489 votes on the first count.

The Green Party and Alliance have both increased on previous polling results, but were eliminated from the running before the second count.

(PR/JM)

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