Michelle O'Neill about to become the first nationalist First Minister

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill is expected to be elected First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive. Picture: PA

Michelle O'Neill will become the first-ever nationalist First Minister when the Northern Assembly returns on Saturday after two years of collapse.

The Sinn Féin vice-president was the deputy first minister in the 2020-2022 version of the assembly, which collapsed after the DUP withdrew, citing displeasure with the post-Brexit trading environment and the Windsor Framework, which they claimed put Northern Ireland outside of the union.