Politics of Northern Ireland facts for kids
Northern Ireland has its own special way of being governed. Since 1998, it has had a "devolved" government. This means that some decisions are made by people in Northern Ireland, while others are still handled by the main UK government in London.
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How Northern Ireland's Government Works
The main UK government and its Parliament are in charge of certain things for Northern Ireland. These are called "reserved matters" and "excepted matters."
Sharing Power in Northern Ireland
- Reserved matters are topics that the UK Parliament could, in the future, let the Northern Ireland Assembly decide on. Examples include things like how planes fly (civil aviation) or how we measure things (units of measurement).
- Excepted matters are topics that will always be handled by the UK government. These include big things like how the UK deals with other countries (international relations), taxes, and national elections.
For everything else, the Northern Ireland Executive (which is like Northern Ireland's cabinet) and the 108 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly can make laws and run things.
Connecting with the UK and Ireland
Northern Ireland's government also works closely with the Republic of Ireland. They have something called the North/South Ministerial Council. This group helps them work together on things like farming, education, and health.
The Northern Ireland Office is a part of the British government that works in Northern Ireland. It handles the "reserved matters." The person in charge of this office is called the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. They are a senior minister in the UK government. The government of the Republic of Ireland can also share its ideas about non-devolved matters in Northern Ireland.
How People Vote in Northern Ireland
People in Northern Ireland vote for two main groups of representatives:
- Northern Ireland Assembly: Elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly use a system called "single transferable vote." In this system, people choose five representatives (called MLAs) from 18 different areas.
- UK Parliament: People also vote for 18 representatives (called MPs) to go to the main UK Parliament in London. These elections use a system called "first-past-the-post." This means the person with the most votes wins. Some MPs elected from Northern Ireland choose not to take their seats in the UK Parliament.
Northern Ireland also has members in the House of Lords, which is the upper house of the UK Parliament. For elections to the European Union, Northern Ireland used to be considered one big voting area.
Different Views in Northern Ireland
Many people in Northern Ireland have strong feelings about its future. These feelings often fall into two main groups:
- Unionism: People who are unionists want Northern Ireland to stay a part of the United Kingdom. Many unionists are from a Protestant background.
- Irish nationalism: People who are Irish nationalists want Northern Ireland to join with the Republic of Ireland to create a united Ireland. Many Irish nationalists are from a Catholic background.
