meant that, whilst the overall unionist vote is strong, we re not winning extra seats because those votes are too widely spread, and i think there are lessons to be drawn from this for unionists. the final results won t be known for sure until this long and complex counting process is finished, and the race for the final few seats in particular can be very tight indeed. no matter what the numbers are, it is unlikely a new devolved administration will be formed anytime soon. under the rules of power sharing, unionists and nationalists have to agree to run northern ireland jointly. the dup has said it won t go into a coalition at stormont unless the brexit trade border with the rest of the uk is scrapped. it is far from clear whether the politicians who have been elected will ever get to govern. we can speak now to our correspondent danjohnson, who joins us from belfast, where counting is due to restart later.
of government and focus on delivery. but the democratic unionist party has lost a fifth of its support. a strong focus of the campaign was opposition to the brexit trade border with the rest of the uk. the dup says it will block the formation of a devolved government until checks on goods arriving in northern ireland are scrapped. but it s shed voters to a more hardline party, the traditional unionist voice, which says the dup has been too weak on the issue. there s no point denying it. it s been a very, very difficult period of time, i think it s been a very difficult yearfor the dup. i think that s been well rehearsed. and i think most people would concede we are doing better than was expected, even a few weeks ago. but, look, i think what we ve seen in this election is what happens whenever unionism shreds the votes. under the power sharing rules at stormont, unionists and nationalists have to agree to run northern ireland jointly before ministers can
from fifth place to third. its leaders say voters had sent a firm message. they actually want to see government that works for them. instead of being divided, instead of being fragile, constantly falling over, constantly held to ransom by one party or another, what they want to see is continuity of government and focus on delivery. but the democratic unionist party has lost a fifth of its support. a strong focus of the campaign was opposition to the brexit trade border with the rest of the uk. the dup says it will block the formation of a devolved government until checks on goods arriving in northern ireland are scrapped. but it s shed voters to a more hardline party, the traditional unionist voice, which says the dup has been too weak on the issue. there s no point denying it. it s been a very, very difficult period of time, i think it s been a very difficult yearfor the dup. i think that s been well rehearsed. and i think most people would concede we are doing
and the race for the final few seats in particular can be very tight indeed. no matter what the numbers are, it is unlikely a new devolved administration will be formed anytime soon. under the rules of power sharing, unionists and nationalists have to agree to run northern ireland jointly. the dup has said it won t go into a coalition at stormont unless the brexit trade border with the rest of the uk is scrapped. it is far from clear whether the politicians who have been elected will ever get to govern. chris page, bbc news, belfast. just to tell you about that big cheer you heard a moment or two ago that was, as i thought, another win for the alliance party in the constituency of south belfast. they had one seat last time around in 2017. now they have too. that was kate nichol, the current mayor of
the dup has come under pressure from a more hardline unionist party and is likely to lose its place at the top. i think that the divided nature of unionism in this election has meant that, whilst the overall unionist vote is strong, we re not winning extra seats because those votes are too widely spread, and i think there are lessons to be drawn from this for unionism. the final results won t be known for sure until this long and complex counting process is finished, and the race for the final few seats in particular can be very tight indeed. no matter what the numbers are, it is unlikely a new devolved administration will be formed anytime soon. under the rules of power sharing, unionists and nationalists have to agree to run northern ireland jointly. the dup has said it won t go into a coalition at stormont unless the brexit trade border with the rest of the uk is scrapped.