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Mary Lou McDonald has warned the DUP against any move that could destabilize power-sharing in the North.<\/p>\nMary Lou McDonald has warned the DUP against any move that could destabilize power-sharing in the North.<\/p>\n
The Sinn F\u00e9in president was speaking in Belfast hours before the party election for a new leader following the resignation of Arlene Foster.<\/p>\n
Both contenders, Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Stormont Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots, have vowed to wage war against the Northern Ireland Protocol.<\/p>\n
The party\u2019s 28 MLAs and eight MPs will meet virtually on Friday to hear both men\u2019s pitches before voting in a secret ballot.<\/p>\n
Mrs Foster confirmed on Wednesday that she would be voting, but declined to say who she would be backing.<\/p>\n
Ms McDonald said the leadership of the party is \u201centirely a matter for themselves\u201d, but she added: \u201cPower-sharing has to work for everyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to make progress together, we need to be true to and honor the commitments we have entered into in the New Decade, New Approach agreement together and, irrespective of who leads the Democratic Unionist Party, the realities are that we need to implement those agreements, we need to respect and acknowledge the rights of all of our citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to ensure that power-sharing, that the Executive and the Assembly is stable and that it works and that collectively we deliver.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very, very unwise in the mouth of a leadership election for anyone in political unionism to be talking about destabilizing the institutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe institutions have to work, power-sharing has to work, the Good Friday Agreement has to work, Stormont House (Agreement) needs to be delivered, Acht na Gaeilge (Irish language act) and the cultural legislative package needs to be delivered.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the reason why all these things need to happen is because that\u2019s how we give each of our citizens the best chance, the best shot at having a decent quality of life and living in a stable, respectful society.\u201d<\/p>\n