Leadership of Ulster Unionist Party
In September 1995 Trimble was unexpectedly elected Leader of the UUP, the largest party in Northern Ireland and the voice of mainstream unionism, defeating the front-runner John Taylor and three other candidates.
Trimble's election as party leader came in the aftermath of his role in the Drumcree conflict, in which he led a controversial 1995 Orange Order Protestant march, amidst Nationalist protest, down the predominantly Roman Catholic Nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, County Armagh. Trimble and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Ian Paisley walked hand-in-hand as the march, banned since 1997, proceeded down the road. Irish Catholics viewed it as insensitive; Protestants viewed it as Trimble sticking up for them.
Trimble shortly after his election became the first unionist leader in 30 years to meet with a Taoiseach (prime minister) in Dublin. In 1997, he became the first unionist leader to agree to attend negotiations with Sinn Féin since the island of Ireland was partitioned in 1922 between Northern Ireland, which remained in the United Kingdom, and the quasi-independent Irish Free State.
Later, in the All Party negotiations, he led the UUP delegation and sat at the table with Sinn Féin, though in the eight months of the negotiations he never spoke directly to their leader, Gerry Adams. The talks were successful, culminating in the Belfast Agreement of 10 April 1998, which resulted in power-sharing with Nationalists. On 22 May 1998, the Agreement was approved by 71% in Northern Ireland.
Trimble was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in the 1998 New Year Honours.
Read more about this topic: David Trimble
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