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

Party details

Party Founded Political
position		 Ideology Designation Leader(s) Local
government		 Northern Ireland Assembly House of Commons
(NI Seats)		 House of Lords

Sinn Féin
English: We ourselves[Note 1]		 1905
1970 (current form)
[Note 2]		 Centre-left[1] to
left-wing[2]		 Irish republicanism
Democratic socialism
Left-wing nationalism		 Nationalist Michelle O'Neill[Note 3]
144 / 462
27 / 90
7 / 18
(abstentionist)		 —

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

Alliance Party of Northern Ireland		 1970 Centre[5] to centre-left[6] Liberalism[7][8][9]
Nonsectarianism[10][11]
Pro-Europeanism[12]		 Other Naomi Long
67 / 462
17 / 90
1 / 18
0 / 779
[Note 4]

Ulster Unionist Party		 1905 Centre-right[13]
Unionist Doug Beattie
54 / 462
9 / 90
 —
2 / 779

Social Democratic and Labour Party		 1970 Centre-left[16][17] Nationalist Colum Eastwood
39 / 462
8 / 90
2 / 18
0 / 779
[Note 5]

Traditional Unionist Voice		 2007 Right-wing[19] Unionist Jim Allister
9 / 462
1 / 90
 — —

People Before Profit		 2005 Left-wing[22] to far-left[23] Trotskyism[24]
Socialism[25]
Anti-capitalism[26]
Irish reunification[27]		 Other[Note 6] — Collective leadership
2 / 462
1 / 90
 — —

Green Party NI		 1985 Centre-left to left-wing Green politics[14]
Nonsectarianism
Pro-Europeanism[12]		 Other — Malachai O'Hara
5 / 462
 — — —

Progressive Unionist Party		 1985 Centre-left[28][29] to
left-wing[29]		 British unionism
Ulster loyalism
Democratic socialism[30][31]
Social democracy		 Unionist — Russell Watton
1 / 462
 — — —

Northern Ireland Conservatives		 1989 Centre-right British unionism
Conservatism
Economic liberalism		 Unionist — Paul Leeman — — —
3 / 779

Party representation

Party Representation (as of 3 October 2023)[32]
UK Parliament Assembly Local councils
House of Commons House of Lords
Sinn Féin 7 0 27 144
Democratic Unionist Party 8 6 25 122
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 1 0[nb 1] 17 67
Ulster Unionist Party 0 2 9 54
Social Democratic and Labour Party 2 0[nb 2] 8 39
Traditional Unionist Voice 0 0 1 9
People Before Profit 0 0 1 2
Green Party Northern Ireland 0 0 0 5
Progressive Unionist Party 0 0 0 1
Aontú 0 0 0 0
Militant Left 0 0 0 0
Northern Ireland Conservatives 0 3 0 0
    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

    Unionist and loyalist

    Party Founded Political
    position    		 Ideology Leader(s)

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

    Nationalist and republican

    Party Founded Political
    position    		 Ideology Leader(s)

    Aontú
    English: Unity    		 2019 — Anti-abortion[33]
    Irish republicanism[34]
    Social conservatism[35]
    Soft Euroscepticism[36]    		 Peadar Tóibín

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

    Fianna Fáil
    English: Warriors of Fál or
    Soldiers of Destiny    [Note 7]    		 1926 Centre[39][40][41] to
    centre-right[42][43][44]    		 Irish republicanism
    Conservatism
    Christian democracy
    Populism    		 Micheál Martin

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

    Republican Network for Unity    		 2007 Left-wing Irish republicanism
    Dissident republicanism
    Socialism    		 — —

    Saoradh
    English: Liberation    		 2016 Far-left[45][46] Irish republicanism
    Dissident republicanism[47]
    Revolutionary socialism
    Hard Euroscepticism[48]
    Anti-imperialism    		 — Stephen Murney

    Workers' Party
    Irish: An Páirtí na nOibrithe    		 1905 Far-left Communism
    Marxism-Leninism
    Irish republicanism    		 — Collective leadership

    Others

    Party Founded Political
    position    		 Ideology Leader(s) Notes

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

    Labour Party in Northern Ireland    		 1900 Centre-left Social democracy
    Democratic socialism    		 — Erskine Holmes UK Labour has historically had a policy not to stand in Northern Ireland. Until recently it was not possible for residents to even join the party; however this was changed on legal advice. An officially recognised branch party was set up in 2003. SDLP MPs unofficially take the Labour whip.

    Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats    		 1988 Centre to Centre-left Liberalism
    Social liberalism
    Nonsectarianism
    Pro-Europeanism    		 — Stephen Glenn The Liberal Democrats currently have a policy not to stand in Northern Ireland but to support their sister party, the Alliance Party, with many holding dual-membership, and Alliance peers take the Liberal Democrat whip.

    Socialist Party    		 1996 Left-wing to far-left Democratic socialism
    Political radicalism[49]
    Trotskyism[50]
    Euroscepticism[51]    		 — Collective leadership —

    Unregistered parties

    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

    Unionist and loyalist

    Nationalist and Republican

    Others

    Flowchart of all political parties in Northern Ireland

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

    Party leaders

    Party leaders serving 10 years or more are

    Leader Years Party/Period Constituency
    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

    Notes

    1. ↑ A frequent mistranslation is "Ourselves Alone" from Sinn Féin Amháin, an early 20th-Century slogan.
    2. ↑ The current party known as Sinn Féin broke from the party then known as Sinn Féin in 1970 and was initially commonly referred to as Provisional Sinn Féin.
    3. ↑ Although Mary Lou McDonald is the party president, O’Neill serves as vice-president and as First Minister-designate, functions as the party’s leader in Northern Ireland.
    4. ↑ Lord Alderdice, leader of the Alliance from 1987–98, has sat in the Lords since 1996, taking the Liberal Democrat whip.
    5. ↑ 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.
    6. ↑ 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.
    7. ↑ 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.[37] 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.[38]

    References

    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. ↑ Cochrane, Feargal (2014). "The Future of the Union II: Northern Ireland". In Justin Fisher; David Denver; John Benyon (eds.). Central Debates in British Politics. Routledge. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-317-87494-2.
    6. ↑ 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...
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    8. ↑ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Northern Ireland/UK". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
    9. ↑ 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.
    10. ↑ "History – NI: The Troubles – Fact Files". BBC. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
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    28. ↑ "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)
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