Two of them have generally been described as nationalists: the Social Democratic and Labour Party and Sinn Féin, the Republican Party associated with the Commissional Irish Republican Army. [4] [5] Regardless of these rival traditions, there were two other rallying parties, the Alliance Inter-communal party and the Northern Ireland Women`s Coalition. There was also the Labour Coalition. U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell was sent by U.S. President Bill Clinton to lead discussions between the parties and groups. [6] As part of the agreement, it was proposed to build on the existing Anglo-Irish interparliamentary body. Prior to the agreement, the body was composed only of parliamentarians from the British and Irish parliaments. In 2001, as proposed in the agreement, it was extended to include parliamentarians from all members of the Anglo-Irish Council. The agreement was approved by voters across the island of Ireland in two referendums on 22 May 1998. In Northern Ireland, in 1998, during the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, voters were asked whether they supported the multi-party agreement.
In the Republic of Ireland, voters were asked whether they would allow the state to sign the agreement and authorize the necessary constitutional amendments (Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland) to facilitate it. The two lawyers had to approve the agreement for it to enter into force. On October 2, Johnson presented a possible replacement for the 2018 Irish backstop and proposed that Northern Ireland remain aligned with the EU when it comes to product standards, while remaining on UK customs territory.