inn Fein vp Michelle O’Neill has hailed a “momentous” election end result along with her occasion turning into the most important in councils in Northern Ireland.

As the native authorities elections rely neared its conclusion on Saturday night, the republican occasion had 138 elected councillors, with beneficial properties achieved throughout the area.

With only a small variety of seats excellent, it means Sinn Fein has replicated its end result from final yr’s Northern Ireland Assembly election when it turned the largest occasion at Stormont.

Ms O’Neill used the newest election victory to repeat her name for the DUP to return to the powersharing establishments at Stormont.

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The DUP at the moment has 120 council seats, the Alliance Party 65, the Ulster Unionists 53 and the SDLP 39, with 33 others.

DUP chief Sir Jeffrey Donaldson insisted that his occasion had polled strongly however mentioned unionism wanted to study classes from the election.

Sinn Fein secured 30.9% of first desire votes, forward of the DUP on 23.3%, 13.3% for Alliance, 10.9% for the Ulster Unionists and eight.7% for the SDLP.

The turnout for the election was 54%. Nine of the 11 council areas have now accomplished their rely.

Sinn Fein has emerged as the most important occasion in Mid Ulster, Derry and Strabane, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon and Newry, Mourne and Down.

It may even have general management of Fermanagh and Omagh after successful 21 out of 40 seats.

The DUP would be the largest grouping in Lisburn and Castlereagh, Mid and East Antrim and Ards and North Down.

The unionist occasion may even have the most important variety of councillors in Antrim and Newtownabbey.

Sinn Fein is main the race to be the most important occasion in Belfast.

The cross-community Alliance Party has made beneficial properties and can develop into the third largest occasion in native authorities.

But it has been a disappointing election for the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP.

Veteran PUP councillor Billy Hutchinson turned the second occasion chief to lose his seat in Belfast, following Green Party NI chief Mal O’Hara’s failure to get elected.

The votes are being counted by means of the one transferable vote system, with 462 seats to be stuffed throughout 11 council areas.

The basic sample round voter turnout seemed to be up barely in areas which might be considered predominantly nationalist/republican and down barely in areas seen as unionist majority.

It is the primary electoral take a look at for the events since final yr’s Assembly elections and takes place in opposition to the backdrop of the Stormont stalemate, with the powersharing establishments not working as a part of a DUP protest in opposition to post-Brexit buying and selling preparations.

Sinn Fein’s Stormont chief Michelle O’Neill described the outcomes as “momentous”.

She mentioned: “Sinn Fein went into this campaign with a positive message of wanting to make politics work for all.

“This election was an opportunity to send a clear signal.

“To support the positive leadership and a party that wants to get the Assembly up and running, deliver first class council services, support people with the cost-of-living crisis, and invest in the health service.

“The voters have now spoken.”

Ms O’Neill mentioned the boycott of the Stormont Assembly by the DUP “cannot go on”.

Visiting the native authorities election rely at Belfast City Hall, Sir Jeffrey mentioned: “If you actually look at the real results rather than the spin that some commentators are trying to put on it, the DUP has increased its share of the vote from last year and we’re on course to win a lot of seats across all the councils.

“We have made gains in a number of councils.

“The DUP has polled strongly in this election despite everything that’s been thrown at us, despite the challenges we’ve faced, the DUP vote has held up well.”

He put the rise within the Sinn Fein vote right down to the “collapse of the SDLP”.

Sir Jeffrey added: “I think if truth be told, there are lessons to be learned for unionism in its broadest sense.

“We need to do better.

“The DUP has had a good election but unionism needs to do better, we need to be winning more seats.

“I’m happy to sit down with my fellow unionists and examine these issues and how greater co-operation can lead a pathway towards more success for unionism in general.”

Northern Ireland’s councils are chargeable for setting charges, planning and waste assortment in addition to leisure providers and parks.