AFTER serving as Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP for almost 20 years, Michelle Gildernew is set to contest the upcoming European Parliament election.
On Monday morning, the Dungannon politician took to Sinn Féin’s social media where she confirmed that she will contest a seat in the Midlands/North West constituency election in June.
“The European Union is crucially important to Ireland. Ireland needs to be at the fore in setting the direction of the European Union and I want to be part of making that happen,” said Ms Gildernew.
“As a former Agriculture minister, MP and a Sinn Féin elected representative for 25 years, I want to bring my experience and skills to the job of standing up for Irish interests in the European Parliament, as part of a strong Sinn Féin team.
“It is a time of change, a time of huge potential and opportunity for Ireland. If elected as an MEP for the Midlands/North West, I want to be part of delivering that positive change that communities, workers and families need.”
From June 6 to June 9, 720 seats will up for grabs and the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP will bid for election to the European Parliament which meets in Strasbourg in France.
At the most recent European Parliament election, which took place in May 2019, Ireland returned 13 MEPs. Sinn Fein’s Chris McManus currently holds the Midlands/North West seat.
Ms Gildernew, 53, is a veteran Sinn Féin politician who was first elected as MP (Member of Parliament) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in 2001, when she beat the UUP candidate James Cooper by 53 votes.
Although she chose to abstain from taking her seat at Westminster, Ms Gildernew became the first female candidate from Sinn Féin to be elected as an MP in 80 years.
The Dungannon politician retained her seat in a dramatic election in 2005, when she finished ahead of Independent candidate Rodney Connor by four votes.
In 2015, Ms Gildernew lost her Westminster seat to UUP’s Tom Elliott, but she won her MP seat back in 2017.
The mother-of-three has previously served as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland for four years, from May 2007 to May 2011.
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