LONDON — Jeffrey DonaldsonLeader Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland (DUP), resigned with immediate effect: it is Accused of sexual harassment. The indictment relates to violations that occurred in the past and were not reported until recently. Donaldson is scheduled to appear in court on April 24.

The DUP said in a statement that “the party leader was informed of a letter” and that, in accordance with internal rules, he immediately suspended Donaldson, 61, whose picture was also removed from the party’s website. His deputy, Gavin Robinson, now takes on the role of interim leader.

It is an unexpected development that has severely shaken the Irish and British political world: Donaldson, a member of the House of Commons in Westminster who… In 2016, he received the title of Sir from Queen ElizabethShe helped reach the agreement that paved the way for the resumption of government work at Stormont in January after two years of paralysis. If Donaldson has no formal roles within the Northern Ireland executive – with Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill and the Democratic Unionist's Emma Little Pingelly as deputy prime minister – his exit remains a moment of crisis for one of the region's main parties.