June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election explained

Election Name:June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election
Previous Year:May 2021
Next Election:2024 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election
Next Year:2024
1Blank:Popular vote
Election Date:22 June 2021
Image1:Jeffrey Donaldson election infobox.jpg
Image1 Size:170x170px
Colour1:D46A4C
Candidate1:Jeffrey Donaldson
1Data1:Unopposed
Leader
Before Election:Edwin Poots
After Election:Jeffrey Donaldson

The June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election was triggered by Edwin Poots' resignation from the leadership of the party on 17 June 2021.[1]

Poots released a statement on 17 June 2021 announcing his intention to resign as party leader and that he had requested a new leadership contest, and that he would remain in post until a successor was appointed.[2] Party chair Maurice Morrow later announced that the leadership election would take place on 26 June 2021.[3]

After nominations closed on 22 June, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was declared the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party after becoming the sole candidate,[4] [5] and therefore no ballot was held. On 30 June, the party's executive body ratified Donaldson as leader.[6]

Background

After agreeing to a deal that resolved the stalemate over the Irish Language Act, Poots stood down as leader on 17 June after a meeting where a majority of DUP MLAs and MPs voted against the party nominating Paul Givan to be First Minister.[7] [8]

On 18 June 2021, a senior DUP source told The Irish Times that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was expected to be the only candidate, as there was "no appetite for another potentially damaging leadership election."[9]

Candidates

Declared

Results

The election was scheduled to be held on 26 June 2021,[10] however after nominations closed on 22 June at 12:00 BST,[11] party chair Maurice Morrow revealed that Jeffrey Donaldson was the only candidate nominated.[12] Following a meeting of the party's MPs and MLAs to confirm the result (with the backing of 32 out of 36 votes),[13] the appointment of Donaldson as leader was ratified by the party executive on 26 June.[14]

Notes and References

  1. News: DUP leader Edwin Poots resigns amid internal party revolt . . 17 June 2021 . 19 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210618144210/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-57521158 . 18 June 2021.
  2. News: Edwin Poots resigns as DUP leader after 21 days in post . . Rory . Carroll . 17 June 2021 . 19 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210623191758/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jun/17/edwin-poots-resigns-as-dup-leader-after-21-days . 23 June 2021.
  3. News: Donaldson the frontrunner as DUP leadership nominations open . . Vincent . Kearney . 19 June 2021 . 19 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210620085345/https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0619/1229069-rally-newtownards-protocol-dup/ . 20 June 2021.
  4. News: DUP leadership: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is only candidate . Chris . Andrews . . 22 June 2021 . 22 June 2021 . live . https://archive.today/20210623134135/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57560163 . 23 June 2021 .
  5. News: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to become next leader of the DUP . . Jonathan . McCambridge . Press Association . 22 June 2021 . 22 June 2021 . live . https://archive.today/20210623134017/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/sir-jeffrey-donaldson-to-become-next-leader-of-the-dup-40567078.html . 23 June 2021 .
  6. News: 2021-06-30. DUP leadership: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson ratified as party leader. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-07-01. 2021-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20210701043954/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57644499. live.
  7. News: Hewitt . Ralph. 17 June 2021 . Edwin Poots to step down as DUP leader just three weeks after taking the role . . 18 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210623193655/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/edwin-poots-to-step-down-as-dup-leader-just-three-weeks-after-taking-the-role-40552186.html . 23 June 2021.
  8. News: 17 June 2021 . DUP revolt over first minister confirmation . Colm . Kelpie . Ciara . Colhoun . en-GB . . 19 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210619170829/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57507176 . 19 June 2021.
  9. News: Jeffrey Donaldson expected to become new DUP leader in ‘coronation’ . . Dublin . Freya . McClements . 18 June 2021 . 18 June 2021 . live . https://archive.today/20210623194516/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/jeffrey-donaldson-expected-to-become-new-dup-leader-in-coronation-1.4597539 . 23 June 2021 .
  10. News: DUP: Paul Givan told he must resign as first minister . . 19 June 2021 . 19 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210620072001/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57538844 . 20 June 2021.
  11. News: Preston . Allan . 19 June 2021 . DUP to elect new leader on June 26 . . 19 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210619173236/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-to-elect-new-leader-on-june-26-40557727.html . 19 June 2021.
  12. News: Jeffrey Donaldson declared new DUP leader . . Laura . Hogan . 22 June 2021 . 22 June 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210622163648/https://www.rte.ie/news/brexit/2021/0622/1230666-northern-ireland-protocol/ . 22 June 2021.
  13. News: 2021-06-26. DUP: Party college endorses Sir Jeffrey Donaldson leadership. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-07-01. 2021-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20210701021533/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57609680. live.
  14. News: Incoming DUP leader Donaldson to seek early meeting with Johnson . . Dublin . Freya . McClements . 22 June 2021 . 22 June 2021 . live . https://archive.today/20210623201229/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/new-dup-leader-donaldson-to-speak-to-johnson-about-unionist-opposition-to-protocol-1.4600312 . 23 June 2021 .

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