Michelle O'Neill pledged: "I will serve everyone equally and be a first minister for all."
The devolved administration in Stormont has resumed following a two-year break, after unionist party the DUP agreed to a new post-Brexit deal designed to end trade borders between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
DUP politician Emma LittlePengelly was nominated as deputy first minister under power-sharing arrangements.
Ms O'Neill, 47, is vice-president of Sinn Fein, which believes Northern Ireland should leave the UK. The party was also associated with the IRA, which carried out a terror campaign until the Good Friday peace agreement in 1998.
Her elevation to first minister follows Sinn Fein becoming the region's largest political party in the 2022 Assembly election.
This story is from the February 04, 2024 edition of Sunday Express.
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This story is from the February 04, 2024 edition of Sunday Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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