The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was signed on April 10, 1998, and marked an end to the conflict in Northern Ireland that had been raging for decades. The agreement established a power-sharing government between Unionists and Nationalists and resolved many of the issues that had fueled the conflict.
However, not everyone was in favor of the Good Friday Agreement. There were several groups and individuals who opposed the agreement for a variety of reasons.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) was the largest political party in Northern Ireland at the time and was led by David Trimble. Trimble initially supported the agreement but later became critical of it, arguing that it did not do enough to address the concerns of the Unionist community.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), led by Ian Paisley, was also strongly opposed to the agreement. The DUP argued that the agreement would weaken Northern Ireland`s ties to the United Kingdom and that it did not provide enough protections for the Unionist community.
On the Nationalist side, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) initially supported the agreement but later became critical of it, arguing that it did not go far enough in addressing the issue of Northern Ireland`s relationship with the Republic of Ireland.
Other groups, such as the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), were opposed to the agreement for different reasons. These groups were loyalist paramilitary organizations that had been involved in the conflict and were opposed to any compromise with the Nationalist community.
Finally, there were individual politicians, such as Ian Paisley Jr. and Jeffrey Donaldson, who were also opposed to the agreement and continued to criticize it in the years that followed.
Despite this opposition, the Good Friday Agreement was overwhelmingly supported by the people of Northern Ireland in a referendum that was held on May 22, 1998. The agreement has been credited with bringing an end to the violence and establishing a framework for peace in Northern Ireland.