▁election . ▁The ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Executive ▁col lapsed ▁and ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Assembly ▁was ▁dissol ved ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Assembly ▁election ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁ 2 ▁March , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁lead ▁to ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁Executive . ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁after ▁having ▁been ▁susp ended ▁for ▁almost ▁three ▁years , ▁the ▁parties ▁recon ven ed ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁an ▁agreement ▁proposed ▁by ▁the ▁Irish ▁and ▁UK ▁govern ments . ▁, ▁the ▁En qu iry ▁report ▁remains ▁to ▁be ▁released . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁de vol ved ▁government ▁within ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁The ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Assembly ▁and ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Executive ▁together ▁make ▁up ▁the ▁legisl ative ▁and ▁executive ▁branches ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁government . ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁legisl ative ▁assembly ▁( ML As ) ▁must ▁self - ident ify ▁as ▁a ▁particular ▁design ation : ▁" Union ist ", ▁" National ist ", ▁or ▁" Other ". ▁Under ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Act ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁ 3 0 ▁members ▁may ▁submit ▁a ▁" P et ition ▁of ▁Conc ern " ▁to ▁the ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁Assembly ▁on ▁any ▁motion ▁or ▁proposed ▁legisl ation , ▁making ▁it ▁subject ▁to ▁appro val ▁by ▁cross - community ▁vote . ▁Mot ions