London will run into a more tough neighbor in negotiations with the EU

Earthquake seismic waves caused by Sinn Féin in the first generals held in Ireland since the Brexit They have reached the United Kingdom, which can be preparing to find a more tough neighbor in terms of negotiation that will determine their future relationship with the European Union.

Although the complex Irish electoral model and the lack of absolute majorities anticipate weeks, or rather months, to determine the composition of the next Government, the rise to the frontline of an openly critical party with the British divorce and especially opposed to the agreed exit agreement between London and Brussels, with the invaluable mediation of Dublin, it has already ignited the alarms on Downing Street, which fears a marked tightening in the approach of a crucial member of the community club that, until now, had acted as an ally.

It is difficult to overestimate the merits accumulated by Sinn Féin in the elections last Saturday, in fact, the only downside would be his lack of ambition, since presented only 42 candidates for a parliament in which 159 seats were disputed.

The reasoning behind his strategy was to maximize possibilities, but, in practice, his bet will prevent him from leading the next Executive, despite having been the most popular party, with 24.5 percent of the votes, since its materialization in seats will probably leave it as the third force in the Dáil, the Irish lower house.

His triumph on February 8, however, has already changed everything in a panorama dominated during the almost one hundred years of history of the republic by two acronyms, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who have no choice but to overcome their reluctance for the The controversial past of Sinn Féin and its openly left-wing ideology and taking into account the most supported voice among a citizenry that has made clear its rejection of bipartisanship.

Hence the turbulence that has already been noticed on British soil, where they are aware of the total opposition that Sinn Féin had shown to the solution cooked to the cape by Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar to unlock the Brexit in October.

The taoiseach, which on Saturday was premiered as a candidate, has been the great defeated, since did not know, or could not, capitalize at the polls his role in breaking the paralysis, a contribution whose recognition abroad contrasts with the total indifference it has generated at home.

A role in withdrawal

Although only 1% of the electorate had one of its top priorities at the British exit, the concern over Johnson's confessed intention to diverge from community regulation worries among the Irish ruling class. Therefore, whether Sinn Féin ends up playing a fundamental role in the next Administration, or if he becomes the main force of the opposition in Parliament, his vision of the Brexit it will inevitably materialize in a harder line on the part of the country.

As a consequence, the flexibility offered so far, facilitated by a room for maneuver based on domestic consensus, will give way to greater resistance sponsored by the rise of Sinn Féin, which does not escape that any final understanding with the United Kingdom has To be ratified by twenty-seven member states. This legal requirement gives them a power almost as powerful as that obtained at the polls and adds ammunition to their great claim: the unification of the island, a demand already encouraged by an EU Withdrawal Agreement, which moves the de facto border to the Sea of ​​ireland.

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