Add Category
Updated
In Belfast's biggest market, everyone's got an opinion on the United Kingdom's hung parliament.
"It's a disaster," said Les Sharpe, a local artist and one of the stallholders.
"We're going to be stuck in a position where nothing really gets sorted out properly."
The election is big news in the city, which has been thrust into the international spotlight after last week's shock election outcome.
Everyone here is aware the local Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), a socially conservative group dedicated to keeping Northern Ireland tied to Britain, is in talks with Theresa May to prop up her Government.
"Which I would say most of the people in Northern Ireland are not happy about," Stephen McCandless said.
"Most of us including myself were anti-Brexit — The DUP are pro-Brexit.
"The election just showed people voting along tribal lines."
A short distance away at Sunday night service in the Lisburn Reformed Presbyterian Church, the hung parliament is viewed more favourably.
Reverend Robert McCollum hopes it means Northern Ireland will now get more money from Westminster and is confident the 10 DUP MPs will stay true to their values.
"In Northern Ireland we have laws that forbid same-sex marriage, we have laws that strictly control abortion, we believe in the right to life of the unborn child. Most of these men and one lady would represent those values," Reverend McCollum said.
"That's healthy, that's good and God will honour that. God will bless the whole of the United Kingdom if those values are taken on board."
Reminders of Belfast's troubled past are everywhere in the city.
About 50 metres away from a peace wall, which still separates Catholic and Protestant communities, unionist supporters are in the process of building a massive Eleventh Night bonfire.
They openly admit they'll burn Irish flags on it and seem delighted with the election result, mainly because they've got a new advantage over their Republican neighbours.
"I'm worried a deal between the British Conservatives and the DUP could lead to trouble eventually," Belfast local Liam McCleave said.
"It's going that way already. People have been too calm for too long."
Political tensions in Northern Ireland are already relatively high.
The power-sharing arrangement between the DUP and their republican rivals Sinn Fein in the local assembly broke down earlier this year and still hasn't been restored.
But journalist Sam McBride from the Belfast News Paper, a publication which is considered to take a pro-union stance, says controversy over the deal will depend on what the DUP demand from Theresa May.
"The DUP's main demand in this is overwhelmingly about money, it's about infrastructure, it is about roads, schools, hospitals," Mr McBride said.
"Most people will agree with that — but will the [DUP] ask for other things? Like rules on flying the union flag and perhaps parading legislation in Northern Ireland?"
But back in the market many think the point is moot — they doubt Theresa May will last long enough for the deal to matter much.
"She's gone I think," Mr Sharpe said.
"So, we might be voting again soon anyway."
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, elections, northern-ireland, united-kingdom
First posted