What is the additional political significance of religion in Northern Ireland?

During the British rule in Ireland, there were a large number of Protestant immigrants in northern Ireland (Protestantism is the main religion in Britain, especially in England), and later Protestants accounted for the majority of the population. Irish people believe in Catholicism and belong to Celtic. Ireland is independent, but the six northern counties dominated by Protestantism refused to be independent and chose to stay in Britain and join Britain as a region (that is, Northern Ireland).

From 65438 to 0829, the British government promulgated the Catholic Liberation Act, which abolished the discriminatory policy against Irish Catholics. With the development of Irish autonomy movement, Irish Protestants were worried that Irish autonomy or independence would make them a minority in a country with a Catholic majority, so they formed a solidarity group and advocated that Ireland should stay in the United Kingdom.

At the beginning of the 20th century, with the growing autonomy movement in Ireland, Protestants in Ulster Province organized Ulster volunteers. In response, Catholics organized Irish volunteers.

In the general election of 19 18, in Ireland, Sinn Fein, which advocates Irish independence, won 73% of the votes. However, Sinn Fein lost the election in six counties of Ulster where Protestants dominated.

1920, the British government promulgated the Irish Arbitration Act, which merged six counties in Ulster with Protestants as the leading group to form Northern Ireland, and the remaining three counties in Ulster merged with three other provinces to form Southern Ireland.

192 1 year, after the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Free State was established according to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, and six counties in Northern Ireland became Northern Ireland, and decided whether to stay in the Irish Free State within one month after the signing of the Treaty, while the Northern Ireland Parliament chose to leave the Irish Free State and stay in the UK. Most northern Irish (unionists) want to stay in Britain, but a considerable number of minorities (nationalists) want to join Ireland.

The two factions fought from 1960 to 1990.

1972, Northern Ireland's autonomy was cancelled.

From 65438 to the mid-1990s, the two main semi-military organizations reached an unreliable ceasefire agreement.

1998 After the signing of the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement, the Labour government agreed to form a local self-government in Northern Ireland.

On June 65438+1October 65438+April 2002, the British government announced that it would suspend the operation of local self-government in Northern Ireland and return the control of Northern Ireland to the central government.

On May 8, 2007, after democratic unionist party reached an agreement with Sinn Fein, the coalition government composed of four parties was sworn in, which meant that Northern Ireland officially resumed decentralized self-government.