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List of political parties in Northern Ireland

Political parties in Northern Ireland lists political parties in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Assembly is elected by single transferable vote and the composition of the Northern Ireland Executive is by power sharing determined by the D'Hondt system, among the members elected to the Assembly. Party affiliation is generally based on religious and ethnic background.

Although Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom, it has a quite distinct party system from the rest of the country, as the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats do not contest elections there (though the Liberal Democrats have links with the Alliance Party), and the Conservative Party has received only limited support in recent elections.

Some parties, such as Sinn Féin and the Workers' Party, are organised on an all-Ireland basis. Others such as the Conservative Party are organised on an all-United Kingdom basis. There are many Northern Ireland-specific parties and these, on the whole, predominate.

The distinction between "unionist/loyalist", "nationalist/republican" and "other" is not always easy with some parties and individuals. Some have defined themselves less by their position on the "Border Question" than on other political issues.

For example, the former Republican Labour Party/Social Democratic and Labour Party MP Gerry Fitt's career suggests he was first and foremost a socialist rather than a nationalist and he eventually left the SDLP claiming it had drifted from its founding intentions. Similarly the Workers' Party has its roots in the republican Official IRA but nowadays is considered to be a non-violent socialist and nationalist party. Several parties strive to be avowedly non-sectarian and would not consider themselves to be either unionist or nationalist. The Northern Ireland Assembly requires MLAs to designate themselves either "Unionist", "Nationalist" or "Other." This is a designation that is particularly resented by those who designate as "Other", as they have no input on who becomes First or Deputy First Minister.

There are some who see the terms "Unionist"/"Loyalist" and "Nationalist"/"Republican" as being of more relevance to the community that the party seeks to represent rather than the position on the border question. Several of the "Other" parties strive to be non-sectarian but have a clear position on the border.

Political parties with elected representation at a local, national, UK or European level

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Party details

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PartyFoundedPolitical
position		IdeologyDesignationLeader(s)Local
government		Northern Ireland AssemblyHouse of Commons
(NI Seats)		House of Lords

Sinn Féin		1905Centre-left[1] to
left-wing[2]		Irish republicanism
Democratic socialism
Left-wing nationalism		Nationalist Michelle O'Neill[Note 1]
144 / 462
27 / 90
7 / 18
(abstentionist)		—

Democratic Unionist Party		1971Right-wing[3][4]British unionism
British nationalism
National conservatism
Right-wing populism
Euroscepticism		Unionist Gavin Robinson
122 / 462
25 / 90
8 / 18
6 / 779

Alliance Party of Northern Ireland		1970Centre-left[5]Liberalism[6][7][8]
Nonsectarianism[9][10]
Pro-Europeanism[11]		Other Naomi Long
67 / 462
17 / 90
1 / 18
0 / 779
[Note 2]

Ulster Unionist Party		1905Centre-right[12]
Unionist Doug Beattie
54 / 462
9 / 90
—
2 / 779

Social Democratic and Labour Party		1970Centre-left[15][16]
Nationalist Colum Eastwood
39 / 462
8 / 90
2 / 18
0 / 779
[Note 3]

Traditional Unionist Voice		2007Right-wing[18]
Unionist Jim Allister
10 / 462
1 / 90
——

People Before Profit		2005Left-wing[21] to far-left[22]Trotskyism[23]
Socialism[24]
Anti-capitalism[25]
Irish reunification[26]		Other[Note 4]—Collective leadership
2 / 462
1 / 90
——

Green Party NI		1985Centre-left to left-wingGreen politics[13]
Nonsectarianism
Pro-Europeanism[11]		Other—Malachai O'Hara
5 / 462
———

Progressive Unionist Party		1985Centre-left[27][28] to
left-wing[28]		British unionism
Ulster loyalism
Democratic socialism[29][30]
Social democracy		Unionist—Russell Watton
1 / 462
———

Northern Ireland Conservatives		1989Centre-right to right-wingBritish unionism
Conservatism
Economic liberalism		Unionist—Paul Leeman———
2 / 779

Labour Party in Northern Ireland		2003Centre-leftSocial democracy
Democratic socialism		Unionist—Erskine Holmes———
1 / 779

Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats		1988Centre to centre-leftLiberalism
Social liberalism
Nonsectarianism
Pro-Europeanism		Unionist—Stephen Glenn———
1 / 779

Party representation

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PartyRepresentation (as of 3 October 2023)[31]
UK ParliamentAssemblyLocal councils
House of CommonsHouse of Lords
Sinn Féin7027144
Democratic Unionist Party8625122
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland10[nb 1]1767
Ulster Unionist Party02954
Social Democratic and Labour Party20[nb 2]839
Traditional Unionist Voice00110
People Before Profit0012
Green Party Northern Ireland0005
Progressive Unionist Party0001
Aontú0000
Northern Ireland Conservatives0200
Labour Party in Northern Ireland0100
Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats0100
  1. ^ Lord Alderdice, leader of the Alliance from 1987–98, has sat in the Lords since 1996, taking the Lib Dem whip.
  2. ^ Margaret Ritchie, leader of the SDLP from 2010–11, has sat in the Lords since 2019, resigning from the party to do so.

Other registered parties

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Unionist and loyalist

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PartyFoundedPolitical
position		IdeologyLeader(s)

Heritage Party		2020Right-wingEuroscepticism
British unionism
British nationalism
Social conservatism
Right-wing populism
 David Kurten

Nationalist and republican

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PartyFoundedPolitical
position		IdeologyLeader(s)

Aontú
English: Unity		2019—Irish republicanism[32]
Social conservatism[33]		 Peadar Tóibín

Communist Party of Ireland
Irish: An Páirtí Cumannach na hÉireann		1933
1970 (refoundation)		Far-leftCommunism
Marxism-Leninism		—Jimmy Corcoran (General Secretary)

Fianna Fáil
English: Warriors of Fál or
Soldiers of Destiny[Note 5]		1926Centre[36][37][38] to
centre-right[39][40][41]		Irish republicanism
Conservative liberalism
Christian democracy		 Micheál Martin

Irish Republican Socialist Party		1974Far-leftCommunism
Marxism-Leninism
Irish republicanism
Dissident republicanism
Hard euroscepticism		—Ard Chomhairle
English: National Executive

Republican Network for Unity		2007Left-wingIrish republicanism
Dissident republicanism
Socialism		——

Saoradh
English: Liberation		2016Far-left[42][43]Irish republicanism
Dissident republicanism[44]
Revolutionary socialism
Hard Euroscepticism[45]
Anti-imperialism		—Stephen Murney

Workers' Party
Irish: An Páirtí na nOibrithe		1970Far-leftCommunism
Marxism-Leninism
Irish republicanism		—Collective leadership

Others

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PartyFoundedPolitical
position		IdeologyLeader(s)Notes

Cross-Community Labour Alternative		2015Left-wingDemocratic socialism
Anti-capitalism
Nonsectarianism		—Owen McCracken—

Socialist Party		1996Left-wing to far-leftDemocratic socialism
Political radicalism[46]
Trotskyism[47]
Euroscepticism[48]		—Collective leadership—

Unregistered parties

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Candidates for unregistered parties may choose either to be listed as "Non-Party", or to leave the section blank on the ballot paper, in the same manner as independent candidates.

Inactive parties

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Unionist and loyalist

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Nationalist and Republican

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Others

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Flowchart of all political parties in Northern Ireland

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A flowchart illustrating all the political parties that have existed throughout the history of Northern Ireland and leading up to its formation.

Party leaders

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Party leaders serving 10 years or more are

LeaderYearsParty/PeriodConstituency
Ian Paisley42yProtestant Unionist Party 1966–1971
Democratic Unionist Party 1971–2008		Bannside, North Antrim
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh36ySinn Féin 1970–1983
Republican Sinn Féin 1986–2009
Gerry Adams35ySinn Féin 1983–2018West Belfast, Louth
William Norton28yIrish Labour 1932–1960
Tomás Mac Giolla26ySinn Féin 1962–1970
Official Sinn Féin 1970–1977
Sinn Féin The Workers' Party 1977–1982
Workers' Party 1982–1988
Hugh Smyth23yProgressive Unionist Party 1979–2002
John Hume22ySocial Democratic and Labour Party 1979–2001Foyle
Albert McElroy19yUlster Liberal Party 1956–1975 (?)
Lord Craigavon19yUlster Unionist Party 1921–1940Down, North Down
John Redmond18yIrish Parliamentary Party 1900–1918Waterford City
Lord Brookeborough17yUlster Unionist Party 1946–1963Lisnaskea
James Molyneaux16yUlster Unionist Party 1979–1995South Antrim, Lagan Valley
Joseph Devlin16yNationalist Party 1918–1934Belfast Falls, Fermanagh and Tyrone, Belfast Central
Gerry Fitt15yRepublican Labour Party 1964–1970
Social Democratic and Labour Party 1970–1979		Belfast West, Belfast Dock
James Kilfedder15yUlster Popular Unionist Party 1980–1995North Down
David Ford15yAlliance Party 2001–2016South Antrim
Margaret Buckley13ySinn Féin 1937–1950
Robert McCartney13yUK Unionist Party 1995–2008North Down
James McSparran13yNationalist Party 1945–1958Mourne
Oliver Napier12yAlliance Party 1972–1984Belfast East
Thomas Joseph Campbell11yNationalist Party 1934–1945Belfast Central
Sir Edward Carson11yUlster Unionist Party 1910–1921Dublin University, Belfast Duncairn
John Alderdice11yAlliance Party 1987–1998Belfast East
David Trimble10yUlster Unionist Party 1995–2005Upper Bann

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Although Mary Lou McDonald is the party president, O’Neill serves as vice-president and as First Minister, functions as the party’s leader in Northern Ireland.
  2. ^ Lord Alderdice, leader of the Alliance from 1987–98, has sat in the Lords since 1996, taking the Liberal Democrat whip.
  3. ^ Margaret Ritchie, leader of the SDLP from 2010–11, has sat in the Lords since 2019 as a Labour peer, resigning from the SDLP to do so.
  4. ^ In the Northern Ireland Assembly, the party's MLAs sign the register as "socialist" when asked if they are "unionist" or "nationalist", resulting in an official designation of "Other". However, People Before Profit is in favour of Irish reunification.
  5. ^ Since 2007, Fianna Fáil has been officially registered in Northern Ireland, but has not formally fielded any election candidates as of yet, despite members passing motions to at successive árdfheiseanna.[34] Ógra Fianna Fáil launched cumainn (branches) at QUB and UU in the same year. From 2019 to 2022, it was in partnership with the SDLP.[35]

References

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Sources
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  2. ^ Salgado, Susana (7 December 2018). Mediated Campaigns and Populism in Europe. Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-98563-3.
  3. ^ "It will be ‘difficult’ for May to survive, says N Ireland’s DUP", By Vincent Boland & Robert Wright. Financial Times. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Who Are The DUP? The Democratic Unionist Party Explained", LBC. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  5. ^ Jarrett, Henry (2016). "The Single Transferable Vote and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland". Representation. 52 (4): 311–323. doi:10.1080/00344893.2017.1301987. S2CID 157208657. This could be achieved by, for example, adopting a more conservative position than Alliance's centre-left liberalism...
  6. ^ "Parties | Northern Ireland Political Parties". BBC News. 14 October 1998. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  7. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Northern Ireland/UK". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  8. ^ Deacon, Russell (2012). Devolution in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh University Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-7486-6973-8. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  9. ^ "History – NI: The Troubles – Fact Files". BBC. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  10. ^ "Alliance party". Politics.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  11. ^ a b c Brendan Hughes (22 February 2016). "EU referendum: Where Northern Ireland parties stand". Irish News. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  12. ^ Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko; Matti Mälkiä (2007). Encyclopedia of Digital Government. Idea Group Inc (IGI). pp. 394–. ISBN 978-1-59140-790-4. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Northern Ireland/UK". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Nesbitt says NI needs liberal progressive politicians". Belfast Newsletter. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  15. ^ Driver, Stephen (2011). Understanding British Party Politics. Polity. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-7456-4078-5. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
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  18. ^ Walsh, John (30 April 2021). "Don't envy the next DUP leader. They face an almost impossible job". Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  19. ^ "About TUV". Traditional Unionist Voice. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  20. ^ Three Compelling Reasons to Vote Leave Archived 2 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Traditional Unionist Voice (official website). Published 20 June 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  21. ^
  22. ^
  23. ^
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  25. ^ "DUP and Sinn Féin stable as Alliance Party rises in Northern Ireland local election". Nationalia. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  26. ^ "Election Manifesto 2020" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  27. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. ^ a b Coulter, John (11 September 2019). "A socialist alternative for Northern Ireland?". Northern Slant. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  29. ^ Edwards, Aaron (2007). "Democratic Socialism and Sectarianism: The Northern Ireland Labour Party and Progressive Unionist Party Compared". Politics. 27 (1): 24–31. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9256.2007.00275.x. S2CID 145393084.
  30. ^ New Statesman: Volume 131, Issues 4569-4576. London: New Statesman. 2002. p. 56.
  31. ^ "Local Council Political Compositions". Open Council Date UK. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  32. ^ "SDLP councillor quits to join Aontú". News Letter. 27 July 2019. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  33. ^ O'Malley, Eoin (16 June 2019). "Eoin O'Malley: Sound the death knell for pro-life Renua". The Times. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  34. ^ "Highland Radio – Latest Donegal News and Sport » Fianna Fail Ard Fheis passes two significant Donegal North East motions". 22 March 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  35. ^ "SDLP ends three-year partnership with Fianna Fail as party examines poor Assembly election results". Belfast Telegraph. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  36. ^ Fianna Fail on election footing now, says Martin Archived 30 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Irish Independent. Author – Daniel McConnell. Published 1 January 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  37. ^ Micheal Martin to replace Brian Cowen as Fianna Fail leader Archived 16 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. The Telegraph. Published 26 January 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  38. ^ Weakened Irish PM faces delicate balancing act Archived 30 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine. EUobserver. Author – Shona Murray. Published 12 May 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  39. ^ George Taylor; Brendan Flynn (2008). "The Irish Greens". In E. Gene Frankland; Paul Lucardie; Benoît Rihoux (eds.). Green Parties in Transition: The End of Grass-roots Democracy?. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7546-7429-0. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  40. ^ John Barlow; David Farnham; Sylvia Horton; F.F. Ridley (2016). "Comparing Public Managers". In David Farnham; Annie Hondeghem; Sylvia Horton; John Barlow (eds.). New Public Managers in Europe: Public Servants in Transition. Springer. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-349-13947-7. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  41. ^ Titley, Gavan (24 February 2011). "Beyond the yin and yang of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  42. ^ Doyle, Paulie (22 March 2019). "Understanding the 'New IRA', Who Sent Explosives Around the UK". VICE UK (Motherboard). Vice Media. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  43. ^ Murray, Gemma (19 February 2020). "Saoradh release statement claiming Sinn Fein not under threat - after Michelle O'Neill asks all members to be 'vigilant'". The News Letter. Belfast: JPIMedia. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
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  45. ^ Reinisch, Dieter (15 November 2019). "Opinion: I went to the Saoradh party conference to see where radical republicanism is going". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  46. ^ Silke, Henry (14 June 2014). "Ireland: Left surge in South's local and European elections". International Journal of Socialist Renewal. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
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