Good Friday Agreement

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A campaign poster for the “Good Friday Agreement” during the referendum

The Good Friday Agreement ( English Good Friday Agreement , Belfast Agreement or Stormont Agreement , Irish Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta ) is an agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ireland , the Government of the United Kingdom and the parties in Northern Ireland from April 10, 1998.

With the Good Friday Agreement, the violent phase of the Northern Ireland conflict since the 1960s ended and turned into a search for political consensus . The aim was to find a modus vivendi for the benefit of the people of Ireland . Although there were still individual acts of violence after the Good Friday Agreement, these no longer had any support from the population and no longer escalated.

The agreement was confirmed in separate referendums in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Components

  • The Government of the Republic of Ireland is renouncing its call for reunification with Northern Ireland.
  • The possibility of reunification with the Republic of Ireland will not be excluded if the majority of Northern Irish are in favor.
  • Irish and Northern Irish authorities are working together.
  • The paramilitary troops of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the Ulster Defense Association (UDA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) declare their readiness to disarm .
  • The release of underground fighters from prison is promised.
  • Britain pledges to reduce its troop presence in Northern Ireland.
  • The Government of Ireland Act is being withdrawn.
  • A joint commission to investigate the fate of the disappeared ( The Disappeared ), i.e. people who were allegedly murdered by the IRA in an unknown location, is established.
  • Northern Irish can apply for an Irish passport in addition to the British one.

Result of the referendum vote

country Yes No
Referendum in Northern Ireland 0.676,966 (71%) 274,879 (29%)
Referendum in the Republic of Ireland 1,442,583 (94%) 085,748 0(6%)

See also

Other contracts between Great Britain and Ireland:

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The 1998 referendums. In: Northern Ireland Elections. ARK - Access Research Knowledge, accessed February 11, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Referendum Results 1937–2015. (PDF; 2.1 MB) Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Dublin, p. 60 f. , accessed on February 11, 2018 .