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BELFAST - People in Northern Ireland are due to vote in an election that could allow the return of a government shared between Protestants and Catholics and help cement a lasting political settlement after decades of conflict.
Britain and Ireland hope the assembly election will lead to a power-sharing agreement by March 26 and have threatened to impose indefinite direct rule from London with more input from Dublin if there is no deal by the deadline.
The last 108-member assembly did not even manage to sit for a whole day after it was elected in 2003.
A 1998 peace deal ended 30 years of conflict in which 3600 people were killed, but there is still no agreement on how the province should be run between Protestants who want to maintain union with Britain and Catholics seeking a united Ireland.
The parties expected to do best are the largest Protestant grouping, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of firebrand preacher Ian Paisley, and Sinn Fein, political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Although bitter foes, they have shown signs of readiness to form a government. The previous power-sharing arrangement, between the more moderate camps from the communities, fell apart five years ago and London resumed direct rule.
The share of the vote is not expected to change much from that in the British parliamentary elections in 2005 when the DUP scored 34 per cent with Sinn Fein second on 24 per cent, but the DUP will want a strong mandate before entering any talks with Sinn Fein.
Both parties face dissidents within their own constituencies who accuse them of betraying their principles.
Despite IRA disarmament in 2005, Paisley's harder line rivals say that by leaving the door open to power-sharing he has broken a long-time pledge never to "share power with terrorists".
Sinn Fein faces challenges by several former supporters, who say the party was wrong to vote recently to support police and courts dominated by the Protestant majority in Northern Ireland.
Turnout will also be watched closely given signs of weariness among voters, who have concerns beyond the sectarian divide such as improving local services and trying to boost the economy. Vote counting does not begin until Thursday.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is keen to leave agreement in Northern Ireland as part of his legacy when he steps down this year. A deal would also suit Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern who plans to call a parliamentary election for May or June.
Britain and Ireland have threatened to dissolve the assembly permanently and impose "partnership government" themselves if there is no deal by March 26.
Blair and Ahern are expected to discuss the election on Friday in Brussels, where they will be attending a European Union meeting. By then, most votes should have been counted.
- REUTERS
