Brandon Lewis, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, will meet with party leaders

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis will meet with the five main parties on Monday.

He has stated that he aims to persuade them to create an executive committee as soon as feasible.

Mr. Lewis is also scheduled to meet with Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney to discuss the results of last week’s election.

Sinn Féin received the most votes (27), and hence the office of First Minister.

However, the Democratic Unionists (DUP), the major unionist party, are refusing to rejoin a power-sharing administration unless their reservations over the post-Brexit commercial pact, the Northern Ireland protocol, are addressed.

The assembly’s newly elected members have been invited to Stormont on Monday, but there will be no meeting in the chamber. On Thursday, there may be the first sitting.

18 of the 90 legislators elected last week are making their debut appearance in the parliamentary assembly. Eleven of them are Alliance Party members, including Belfast’s departing Lord Mayor, Kate Nicholl.

All individuals coming to Stormont to assume their seats will be provided an introduction program.

Brandon Lewis will meet with Sinn Fein, the DUP, the Alliance Party, the Ulster Unionist Party, and the SDLP leaders.

Speaking ahead of the meetings, he said the people of Northern Ireland “deserve a stable and accountable devolved government” and he would urge party leaders to form an executive as soon as possible.

“This process must begin with the nomination of an Assembly Speaker to allow legislation to progress and address the important issues affecting the people of Northern Ireland.

“We have to address the outstanding issues relating to the Northern Ireland Protocol, and we want to do that by agreement with the EU, but as we have always made clear, we will not shy away from taking further steps if necessary,” he said.

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