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DUP's Givan becomes new Northern Ireland first minister

DUP's Givan becomes new Northern Ireland first minister
June 17, 2021

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Paul Givan of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) replaced Arlene Foster as Northern Ireland's First Minister on Thursday after the region's main parties staved off a fresh political crisis that threatened to lead to a snap election.

Givan, 39, is a close ally of new DUP leader Edwin Poots. He needed to secure the consent of the party's main partners in the region's power-sharing government, Irish nationalist rivals Sinn Fein, to take the post.

Sinn Fein insisted the nomination be accompanied by the implementation of the cultural elements of a political agreement struck last year and the parties agreed a means to do so in late night talks on Wednesday.