Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2017
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All 90 seats to the Northern Ireland Assembly[n 1] 46 seats needed for a majority |
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Turnout |
64.78% ( |
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The 2017 election to the Northern Ireland Assembly was held on 2 March 2017. The election was held to elect members (MLAs) following the resignation of deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in protest over the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal. McGuinness' position was not filled, and thus by law his resignation triggered an election. It was the sixth election since the Assembly was re-established in 1998. It was the first to elect 90 MLAs to the Assembly, a reduction from the previous 108.
1,254,709 people were registered to vote in the election (26,886 fewer, or a 2.1% decrease, compared to the 2016 Assembly election).[2] 64.78% of registered voters turned out to vote in the 2017 Assembly election, up 10 percentage points from the previous Assembly election held in 2016, but 5 percentage points less than in the first election to the Assembly held in 1998.[3]
Eight parties had MLAs in the fifth assembly: the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Sinn Féin, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, the Greens, People Before Profit (PBP), and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV). There was also one Independent Unionist MLA.
Contents
Background[edit]
Theresa Villiers, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announced in 2013 that the next Assembly election would be postponed to May 2016, and would be held at fixed intervals of five years thereafter.[4] Section 7 of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 specifies that elections will be held on the first Thursday in May in the fifth calendar year following that in which its predecessor was elected,[5] which after 2016 was to be 6 May 2021. However, by virtue of section 31(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, there are several circumstances in which the Assembly can be dissolved before the date scheduled.
Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin), the deputy First Minister, resigned on 9 January 2017 in protest at the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal (RHI) and other issues, such as the DUP's failure to support funding for inquests into killings during The Troubles and to end funding for an Irish language project. The First Minister, Arlene Foster (DUP), had been in charge of the RHI scheme in her previous ministerial position, but had refused to temporarily stand down as First Minister while an enquiry took place. Under the power-sharing arrangement, McGuinness' resignation as deputy First Minister meant that Foster automatically lost office as First Minister. The DUP condemned his resignation.
Sinn Féin had seven days, until 5 pm on 16 January 2017, in which to nominate a new deputy First Minister, but refused to do so in the Assembly plenary on 16 January.[6] As a result the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, confirmed the same day that a snap election would be held on 2 March.[7][8][9]
McGuinness subsequently announced that, owing to ill-health, he would not be seeking re-election to the Assembly; he then stepped down from leading the Sinn Féin group. He was replaced by Michelle O'Neill as leader of Sinn Féin in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Candidates[edit]
Nominations opened on 27 January 2017 for the assembly election and closed on 8 February 2017.[2]
A total of 228 candidates are contesting the 90 available seats in the Assembly, a reduction from the 276 who contested the 108 seats available in 2016.[10]
The table below lists all of the nominated candidates.[11] Candidates for the same party in a constituency are listed in alphabetical order, which is the order they appeared on the ballot paper.
* indicates an incumbent MLA
** indicates the candidate is the incumbent MLA for a different constituency
^ indicates a former MLA who was not a member at the dissolution of the 2016-17 Assembly
Leaders of parties represented in the assembly at dissolution are shown in bold text
Constituency | DUP | SF | UUP | SDLP | Alliance | TUV | Green | Conservative | Others |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belfast East | Joanne Bunting* David Douglas Robin Newton* |
Mairéad O'Donnell | Andy Allen* | Séamas de Faoite | Naomi Long* Chris Lyttle* |
Andrew Girvin | Georgina Milne | Sheila Bodel | John Kyle (PUP) Jordy McKeag (Ind.) Courtney Robinson (CCLA) |
Belfast North | Paula Bradley* William Humphrey* Nelson McCausland* |
Gerry Kelly* Carál Ní Chuilín* |
Robert Foster | Nichola Mallon* | Nuala McAllister | Malachai O'Hara | Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston (PUP) Fiona Ferguson (PBP) Adam Millar (Ind.) Gemma Weir (WP) |
||
Belfast South | Emma Pengelly* Christopher Stalford* |
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir* | Michael Henderson | Naomh Gallagher Claire Hanna* |
Paula Bradshaw* Emmet McDonough-Brown |
John Hiddleston | Clare Bailey* | George Jabbour | Seán Burns (CCLA) Lily Kerr (WP) Pádraigín Mervyn (PBP) |
Belfast West | Frank McCoubrey | Órlaithí Flynn* Alex Maskey* Fra McCann* Pat Sheehan* |
Fred Rogers | Alex Attwood* | Sorcha Eastwood | Ellen Murray | Conor Campbell (WP) Gerry Carroll* (PBP) Michael Collins (PBP) |
||
East Antrim | David Hilditch* Gordon Lyons* Stephen Ross |
Oliver McMullan* | Roy Beggs, Jr.* John Stewart |
Margaret Anne McKillop | Stewart Dickson* Danny Donnelly |
Ruth Wilson | Dawn Patterson | Alan Dunlop | Ricky Best (Ind.) Noel Jordan (UKIP) Conor Sheridan (CCLA) |
East Londonderry | Maurice Bradley* Adrian McQuillan* George Robinson* |
Caoimhe Archibald* Cathal Ó hOisín^ |
William McCandless | John Dallat^ | Chris McCaw | Jordan Armstrong | Anthony Flynn | David Harding | Gavin Campbell (PBP) Gerry Mullan* (Ind.) Claire Sugden* (Ind.) Russell Watton (PUP) |
Fermanagh and South Tyrone | Arlene Foster* Maurice Morrow* |
Jemma Dolan Michelle Gildernew* Seán Lynch* |
Rosemary Barton* | Richie McPhillips* | Noreen Campbell | Alex Elliott | Tanya Jones | Richard Dunn | Donal Ó Cófaigh (CCLA) |
Foyle | Gary Middleton* | Elisha McCallion Raymond McCartney* |
Julia Kee | Mark H. Durkan* Colum Eastwood* |
Colm Cavanagh | Shannon Downey | Stuart Canning | John Lindsay (CISTA) Eamonn McCann* (PBP) Arthur McGuinness (Ind.) |
|
Lagan Valley | Paul Givan* Brenda Hale* Edwin Poots* |
Peter Doran | Robbie Butler* Jenny Palmer* |
Pat Catney | Trevor Lunn* | Samuel Morrison | Dan Barrios-O'Neill | Matthew Robinson | Keith Gray (Ind.) Jonny Orr (Ind.) |
Mid Ulster | Keith Buchanan* | Linda Dillon* Ian Milne* Michelle O'Neill* |
Sandra Overend* | Patsy McGlone* | Fay Watson | Hannah Loughrin | Stefan Taylor | Hugh McCloy (Ind.) Hugh Scullion (WP) |
|
Newry and Armagh | William Irwin* | Cathal Boylan* Megan Fearon* Conor Murphy* |
Danny Kennedy* | Justin McNulty* | Jackie Coade | Rowan Tunnicliffe | Emmet Crossan (CISTA) | ||
North Antrim | Paul Frew* Philip Logan* Mervyn Storey* |
Phillip McGuigan* | Robin Swann* | Connor Duncan | Patricia O'Lynn | Jim Allister* Timothy Gaston |
Mark Bailey | Monica Digney (Ind.) Adam McBride (Ind.) |
|
North Down | Gordon Dunne* Alex Easton* |
Kieran Maxwell | Alan Chambers* William Cudworth |
Caoímhe McNeill | Stephen Farry* | Steven Agnew* | Frank Shivers | Chris Carter (Ind.) Melanie Kennedy (Ind.) Gavan Reynolds (Ind.) |
|
South Antrim | Pam Cameron* Trevor Clarke* Paul Girvan* |
Declan Kearney* | Steve Aiken* Adrian Cochrane-Watson^ |
Roisin Lynch | David Ford* | Richard Cairns | Eleanor Bailey | Mark Logan | Ivanka Antova (PBP) David McMaster (Ind.) |
South Down | Jim Wells* | Sinead Ennis Chris Hazzard* |
Harold McKee* | Sinead Bradley* Colin McGrath* |
Patrick Brown | Lyle Rea | Hannah George | Gary Hynds | Patrick Clarke (Ind.) |
Strangford | Simon Hamilton* Michelle McIlveen* Peter Weir** |
Dermot Kennedy | Mike Nesbitt* Philip Smith* |
Joe Boyle | Kellie Armstrong* | Stephen Cooper | Ricky Bamford | Scott Benton | Jonathan Bell* (Ind.) Jimmy Menagh (Ind.) |
Upper Bann | Jonathan Buckley Carla Lockhart* |
John O'Dowd* Nuala Toman |
Doug Beattie* Jo-Anne Dobson* |
Dolores Kelly^ | Tara Doyle | Roy Ferguson | Simon Lee | Ian Nichols | Colin Craig (WP) |
West Tyrone | Thomas Buchanan* | Michaela Boyle* Declan McAleer* Barry McElduff* |
Alicia Clarke | Daniel McCrossan* | Stephen Donnelly | Charlie Chittick | Ciaran McClean | Roger Lomas | Barry Brown (CISTA) Corey French (Ind.) Sorcha McAnespy (Ind.) Roisin McMackin (Ind.) Susan-Anne White (Ind.) |
Constituency | DUP | SF | UUP | SDLP | Alliance | TUV | Green | Conservative | Others |
Gerry Mullan, who was an MLA for the SDLP before the dissolution, stood as an independent after having been deselected by the party.[12] Jonathan Bell, who was suspended from the DUP, was also standing as an independent.[13] Both failed to get elected.[14]
Members not seeking re-election[edit]
Campaign[edit]
The Renewable Heat Incentive scandal remained central in the campaign.[22] Sinn Fein said they would not return to government with the DUP while questions over RHI remain over the DUP's leader, Foster.[23] There were concerns about deteriorating cross-community relationships.[24] If the two parties emerged as the largest in their communities and could not resolve the issue, direct rule by the UK government could be imposed.
The UUP leader, Mike Nesbitt, promoted the possibility of a UUP/SDLP administration.[25] He said he would give his voting preference after the UUP candidates to the SDLP, although he said he would not tell UUP voters what to do with their later preferences.[26] Other UUP candidates opposed the action, saying they will give later preferences to other unionist candidates over the SDLP,[27] and one UUP councillor resigned from the party in protest.[28]
The DUP criticised Nesbitt's position and campaigned arguing that splitting the unionist vote could help Sinn Fein come out as the largest party.[29]
Brexit was also an issue. In the UK-wide referendum on EU membership on 23 June 2016, 56% of voters in Northern Ireland voted to "Remain" a member of the European Union while 44% voted to "Leave". The DUP having supported the UK leaving the EU, while nationalist parties and most others opposed, fearing among other things the possibility of a hard border resulting with the Republic of Ireland.[22][30] It became known during the campaign that the DUP spent £282,000 on a pro-Brexit advert in a newspaper that does not come out in Northern Ireland. The money came from the Constitutional Research Council, a minor pro-union group chaired by the former vice-chair of the Scottish Conservative Party Richard Cook.[31]
Position on European Union membership referendum |
Political parties | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Remain | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland | [32][33] | |
Green Party in Northern Ireland | [34] | ||
Sinn Féin | [35] | ||
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) | [36] | ||
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) | [37] | ||
Leave | |||
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) | [38][39] | ||
People Before Profit Alliance (PBP) | [40] | ||
Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) | [41] |
The Alliance Party campaigned on their opposition to sectarianism.[23] People Before Profit focused on their opposition to austerity.
Opinion polling[edit]
Date(s) conducted |
Polling organisation/client | Sample size | DUP | SF | UUP | SDLP | Alliance | TUV | Green | PBP | Others | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24–26 February 2017 | Lucid Talk | 1,580 | 26.3% | 25.3% | 13.9% | 12.2% | 9.5% | 4.4% | 3.4% | 2.4% | 2.7% | 1.0% |
26–28 January 2017 | Lucid Talk | 1,580 | 25.9% | 25.1% | 13.9% | 12.4% | 8.9% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 0.8% |
5 May 2016 | Assembly Election Results | 703,744 | 29.2% | 24.0% | 12.6% | 12.0% | 7.0% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 2.0% | 7.1% | 5.2% |
Results[edit]
First preference votes[edit]
Party | Leader | Seats | Votes[42] | NI Executive Seats |
|||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Candi- dates |
won | Change from 2016 |
Change from notional |
First Preference votes |
First Pref. % |
Change from 2016 |
Seats | Change from 2016 |
|||
DUP | Arlene Foster | 38 | 28 | ![]() |
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225,413 | 28.1% | ![]() |
|||
Sinn Féin | Gerry Adams | 34 | 27 | ![]() |
![]() |
224,245 | 27.9% | ![]() |
|||
SDLP | Colum Eastwood | 21 | 12 | ![]() |
![]() |
95,958 | 11.9% | ![]() |
|||
UUP | Mike Nesbitt | 24 | 10 | ![]() |
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103,314 | 12.9% | ![]() |
|||
Alliance | Naomi Long | 21 | 8 | ![]() |
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72,717 | 9.1% | ![]() |
|||
Green (NI) | Steven Agnew | 18 | 2 | ![]() |
![]() |
18,527 | 2.3% | ![]() |
|||
TUV | Jim Allister | 14 | 1 | ![]() |
![]() |
20,523 | 2.6% | ![]() |
|||
People Before Profit | Eamonn McCann | 7 | 1 | ![]() |
![]() |
14,100 | 1.8% | ![]() |
|||
PUP | Billy Hutchinson | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
![]() |
5,590 | 0.7% | ![]() |
|||
NI Conservatives | Theresa May | 13 | 0 | ![]() |
![]() |
2,399 | 0.3% | ![]() |
|||
Labour Alternative | Owen McCracken | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
![]() |
2,009 | 0.3% | ![]() |
|||
UKIP | Paul Nuttall | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
![]() |
1,579 | 0.2% | ![]() |
|||
CISTA | Barry Brown | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
![]() |
1,273 | 0.2% | ![]() |
|||
Workers' Party | John Lowry | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
![]() |
1,261 | 0.2% | ![]() |
|||
Independents | N/A | 22 | 1 | ![]() |
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14,407 | 1.8% | ![]() |
|||
Total | 228 | 90 | ![]() |
803,315 | 10 | ![]() |
|||||
Electorate: 1,254,709 Total Poll: 812,783 Turnout: 64.78% (![]() |
Voting summary[edit]
Seats summary[edit]
Seat changes compared to a notional result from 2016 with a 90-seat Assembly[edit]
Psephologist Nicholas Whyte estimated the likely result in the 2016 election had it been fought with 5-seat constituencies rather than six-seat constituencies. This table shows the different result, and compares the actual result in 2017 to this notional result.[43]
Party | MLAs elected in 2016 | Notional 2016 | MLAs elected in 2017 | Change from notional 2016 result |
Designation | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DUP | 38 | 33 | 28 | ![]() |
Unionist | |
Sinn Féin | 28 | 23 | 27 | ![]() |
Nationalist | |
UUP | 16 | 11 | 10 | ![]() |
Unionist | |
SDLP | 12 | 11 | 12 | ![]() |
Nationalist | |
Alliance | 8 | 8 | 8 | ![]() |
Other | |
Green (NI) | 2 | 2 | 2 | ![]() |
Other | |
People Before Profit | 2 | 1 | 1 | ![]() |
Other | |
TUV | 1 | 1 | 1 | ![]() |
Unionist | |
Independent | 1 | 0 | 1 | ![]() |
Unionist | |
Total | 108 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
Distribution of seats by constituency[edit]
Party affiliation of the five Assembly members returned by each constituency. The first column indicates the party of the Member of the House of Commons (MP) returned by the corresponding parliamentary constituency in the general election of 7 May 2015 (under the "first past the post" method).
(The constituencies are arranged here in rough geographical order around Lough Neagh from Antrim to Londonderry. To see them in alphabetical order, click the small square icon after "Constituency"; to restore this geographical order, click the icon at the left.)
2015 MP | Constituency | Candi- dates |
Total seats |
PBP |
Green |
Sinn Féin |
SDLP |
Alli- ance |
UUP |
DUP |
TUV |
Ind. |
Seat gained by |
Seat formerly held by |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | DUP | North Antrim | – | 5 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | DUP |
2 | DUP | East Antrim | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | – | UUP |
SF
DUP
|
3 | UUP | South Antrim | – | 5 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | DUP |
4 | DUP | Belfast North | – | 5 | – | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | DUP |
5 | SF | Belfast West | – | 5 | 1 | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | SDLP |
6 | SDLP | Belfast South | – | 5 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | DUP |
7 | DUP | Belfast East | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | DUP |
8 | Ind. | North Down | – | 5 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | DUP |
9 | DUP | Strangford | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | UUP |
10 | DUP | Lagan Valley | – | 5 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | SDLP |
UUP
DUP
|
|
11 | DUP | Upper Bann | – | 5 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | – | – | SDLP |
UUP
SF
|
12 | SDLP | South Down | – | 5 | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | UUP |
13 | SF | Newry and Armagh | – | 5 | – | – | 3 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | UUP |
14 | UUP | Fermanagh & South Tyrone | – | 5 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | SF |
DUP
SDLP
|
15 | SF | West Tyrone | – | 5 | – | – | 3 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | UUP |
16 | SF | Mid Ulster | – | 5 | – | – | 3 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | UUP |
17 | SDLP | Foyle | – | 5 | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | PBP |
18 | DUP | East Londonderry | – | 5 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | – | DUP |
18 | Total | – | 90 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 28 | 1 | 1 | |||
Change since dissolution | – | –18 | –1 | 0 | –1 | – | – | –6 | –10 | – | – | – | – | ||
Assembly at dissolution | – | 108 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 38 | 1 | 1 | – | – | ||
Change during Assembly term | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
Elected on 5 May 2011 | 218 | 108 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 38 | 1 | 1 | – | – | ||
Elected on 7 March 2007 | 256 | 108 | – | 1 | 28 | 16 | 7 | 18 | 36 | – | 1 | 1 Prog. U. | – | ||
Elected on 23 November 2003 | 108 | – | – | 24 | 18 | 6 | 27 | 30 | – | 1 | 1 Prog. U. | 1 UKUP | |||
Elected on 25 June 1998 | 108 | – | – | 18 | 24 | 6 | 28 | 20 | – | 4 | 2 Prog. U. | 5 UKUP, 2 NIWC |
- Three of the four independents elected in 1998 ran as Independent Unionists
- NIWC = Northern Ireland Women's Coalition; Prog. U. = Progressive Unionist Party; TUV = Traditional Unionist Voice; UKUP = United Kingdom Unionist Party
[edit]
Percentage of each constituency's first-preference votes. Four highest percentages in each constituency shaded; absolute majorities underlined. The constituencies are arranged in the geographic order described for the table above; click the icon next to "Constituency" to see them in alphabetical order.
- [The totals given here are the sum of all valid ballots cast in each constituency, and the percentages are based on such totals. The turnout percentages in the last column, however, are based upon all ballots cast, which also include anything from twenty to a thousand invalid ballots in each constituency. The total valid ballots' percentage of the eligible electorate can correspondingly differ by 0.1% to 2% from the turnout percentage.]
2015 MP |
MP's % of 2015 vote |
Constituency | PBP |
Green |
Sinn Féin |
SDLP |
Alli- ance |
UUP |
DUP |
TUV |
Ind. |
Others. |
Total votes |
Eligible elector- ate |
Turn- out % |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | DUP | 43.2% | North Antrim | 1.1 | 15.8 | 7.3 | 5.4 | 12.5 | 40.6 | 16.0 | 1.1 | – | – | 63.2% | ||
2 | DUP | 36.1% | East Antrim | 2.1 | 9.9 | 4.1 | 16.0 | 22.7 | 35.2 | 4.1 | 0.3 | 5.7 | – | – | 60.1% | |
3 | UUP | 32.7% | South Antrim | 1.3 | 1.2 | 16.3 | 9.5 | 12.5 | 20.8 | 33.7 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | – | – | 62.4% |
4 | DUP | 47.0% | Belfast North | 3.8 | 1.7 | 29.4 | 13.1 | 8.4 | 5.8 | 32.1 | 0.2 | 5.5 | – | – | 61.8% | |
5 | SF | 54.2% | Belfast West | 14.9 | 0.6 | 61.8 | 8.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 10.1 | 1.0 | – | – | 66.8% | ||
6 | SDLP | 24.5% | Belfast South | 1.8 | 9.9 | 17.7 | 19.4 | 17.8 | 9.0 | 20.8 | 1.6 | 2.1 | – | – | 64.0% | |
7 | DUP | 49.3% | Belfast East | 3.6 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 31.4 | 13.1 | 37.6 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 8.4 | – | – | 63.0% | |
8 | Ind. | 49.2% | North Down | 13.7 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 18.6 | 21.5 | 37.5 | 3.6 | 1.7 | – | – | 59.2% | ||
9 | DUP | 44.4% | Strangford | 2.4 | 2.9 | 7.9 | 15.0 | 20.0 | 39.9 | 3.4 | 8.0 | 0.5 | – | – | 60.9% | |
10 | DUP | 47.9% | Lagan Valley | 2.0 | 4.0 | 8.4 | 13.5 | 25.2 | 41.3 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 0.4 | – | – | 62.6% | |
11 | DUP | 32.7% | Upper Bann | 1.1 | 27.8 | 9.9 | 5.3 | 20.6 | 32.8 | 2.0 | 0.6 | – | – | 62.5% | ||
12 | SDLP | 42.3% | South Down | 1.0 | 38.6 | 25.2 | 9.2 | 8.4 | 15.8 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | – | – | 66.2% | |
13 | SF | 41.1% | Newry & Armagh | 0.5 | 48.3 | 16.4 | 2.6 | 13.2 | 17.8 | 1.3 | – | – | 69.4% | |||
14 | UUP | 46.4% | Fermanagh & S. Tyrone | 1.1 | 42.1 | 9.8 | 2.7 | 11.6 | 29.8 | 1.5 | 1.3 | – | – | 72.6% | ||
15 | SF | 43.5% | West Tyrone | 0.9 | 48.1 | 14.2 | 2.8 | 8.2 | 20.4 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 0.9 | – | – | 69.9% | |
16 | SF | 48.7% | Mid Ulster | 0.5 | 52.8 | 12.9 | 2.0 | 9.1 | 19.3 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | – | – | 72.4% | |
17 | SDLP | 47.9% | Foyle | 10.7 | 0.5 | 36.6 | 31.8 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 13.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | – | – | 65.0% | |
18 | DUP | 42.2% | East Londonderry | 1.2 | 0.7 | 25.8 | 7.9 | 4.4 | 6.7 | 33.5 | 2.5 | 14.6 | 2.6 | – | – | 62.7% |
18 | Northern Ireland | 1.8 | 2.3 | 27.9 | 11.9 | 9.1 | 12.9 | 28.1 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 812,783 | 1,254,709 | 64.8% | ||
Change since 2016 | –0.2 | –0.4 | +3.9 | –0.1 | +2.1 | +0.3 | –1.1 | –0.9 | –2.1 | –1.5 | +109,039 | –26,886 | +10.0% | |||
Election of May 2016 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 24.0 | 12.0 | 7.0 | 12.6 | 29.2 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 703,744 | 1,281,595 | 54.9% | |||
Election of May 2011 | 0.9 | 26.9 | 14.2 | 7.7 | 13.2 | 30.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 661,736 | 1,210,009 | 55.6% | ||||
Election of March 2007 | 1.7 | 26.2 | 15.2 | 5.2 | 14.9 | 30.1 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 690,313 | 1,107,904 | 62.9% | |||||
Election of Nov. 2003 | 0.4 | 23.5 | 17.0 | 3.7 | 22.7 | 25.7 | 5.6 | 2.8 | 692,026 | 1,097,526 | 63.1% | |||||
Election of June 1998 | 0.1 | 17.6 | 22.0 | 6.5 | 21.3 | 18.1 | 10.9 | 3.5 | 823,565 | 1,178,556 | 69.9% |
- Independent Unionist vote in 1998 (2.8%) included in the Independent column (not "others"). TUV = Traditional Unionist Voice.
Incumbents defeated[edit]
Aftermath[edit]
The election marked a significant shift in Northern Ireland's politics, being the first election in which designated Unionist parties did not win a majority of seats. The DUP's loss of seats also prevents it from unilaterally using the petition of concern mechanism, which the party had controversially used to block measures such as the introduction of same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland.[45]
UUP leader Mike Nesbitt announced his resignation, following the party's failure to make any breakthrough.[46]
Sinn Féin reiterated that it would not return to a power-sharing arrangement with the DUP without significant changes in the DUP's approach, including Foster not becoming First Minister until the RHI investigation is complete.[47] The parties have three weeks to form an administration; failing that, new elections would be called.
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ The last election was for an Assembly with 108 seats.
- ^ Sinn Féin's leader is Gerry Adams, but Michelle O'Neill is the leader of the party in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
- ^ Sinn Féin leader in the Northern Ireland Assembly.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ "Michelle O'Neill named as NI replacement for McGuinness". RTÉ. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ a b "Northern Ireland Assembly Election, 2 March 2017". Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- ^ "Electoral Office for Northern Ireland: Turnout Statistics" (PDF). Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Assembly elections put back to 2016". BBC News. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- ^ "Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
- ^ "Sinn Féin declines to make Stormont nomination". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- ^ "Martin McGuinness resigns as NI deputy first minister". BBC. 10 January 2017.
- ^ Connolly, Maeve. "Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness resigns".
- ^ "McGuinness quits: What happens next in Northern Ireland?". BBC. 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Number of candidates by constituency". EONI. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
- ^ "Statements of Persons Nominated". EONI. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
- ^ "Election 2017: Former SDLP MLA Gerry Mullan to run as independent in election".
- ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Strangford". EONI. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Assembly election results". 3 March 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Anderson stepping down". Lurgan Mail. 18 January 2017.
- ^ McCormack, Jayne (2017-01-24). "DUP MLA Sammy Douglas tells assembly he's standing down from politics". Twitter. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
- ^ "DUP MLA Ross announces decision to quit politics". Belfast Telegraph. 2017-01-24. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
- ^ "Martin McGuinness: Ex-deputy first minister will not stand in NI election". BBC. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
- ^ "Sinn Féin's Ruane will not stand for election". BBC News. 15 January 2017.
- ^ "Sinn Féin's Catherine Seeley will not stand in next Assembly election". ITV News. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- ^ Devenport, Mark. "UUP's @RossHusseyMLA says he is retiring from politics". Twitter. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ a b (www.dw.com), Deutsche Welle. "Northern Ireland torn between past and future - Europe - DW.COM - 01.03.2017".
- ^ a b "RHI and vote transfers light up NI election TV debate". 1 March 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt is to resign". 4 March 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Unionist will give second preference to SDLP".
- ^ "NI assembly election: UUP leader Mike Nesbitt will transfer vote to SDLP". 12 February 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Eight UUP candidates: We'll transfer unionist before SDLP".
- ^ "UUP councillor resigns over Mike Nesbitt's SDLP second vote pledge - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk".
- ^ "DUP 'Project Fear' over Sinn Fein topping poll is costing UUP votes, claims party veteran - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk".
- ^ Newsnight, BBC2, 1 March 2017
- ^ Duncan, Pamela; Carolan, Liz; McDonald, Henry; Carrell, Severin; Syal, Rajeev (24 February 2017). "DUP spent £282,000 on Brexit ad that did not run in Northern Ireland" – via The Guardian.
- ^ "Dickson – An EU referendum will threaten jobs and investment in Northern Ireland". Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Alliance expresses concerns over referendum idea". allianceparty.org. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ Staff (February 2014). Green Party in Northern Ireland: Manifesto 2015 (PDF). greenpartyni.org. Green Party in Northern Ireland. Retrieved 22 December 2015.[dead link]
- ^ "Sinn Fein to protect EU membership". The Belfast Telegraph. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ SDLP. "International Affairs". Social Democratic and Labour Party. Retrieved 8 December 2015.[dead link]
- ^ UUP. "Statement from the Ulster Unionist Party on EU Referendum". Ulster Unionist Party. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Cromie, Claire (25 November 2015). "EU referendum: DUP gives backing to UKIP Brexit campaign, blasting David Cameron's 'pathetic demands'". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ "DUP to 'recommend vote to leave the EU'". The News Letter. Belfast. 20 February 2016.
- ^ PBP. "Lexit: why we need a left exit from the eu". Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "EU Membership is a Matter for UK Citizens, Not US President". tuv.org.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Assembly election 2017 results".
- ^ Whyte, Nicholas (22 December 2016). "If the 2016 Assembly election had had five seats per constituency…".
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-northern-ireland-39075542
- ^ http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/sinn-fein-cuts-dup-lead-to-one-seat-in-stormont-assembly-as-nationalists-surge-in-northern-ireland/ar-AAnLQ6B
- ^ "Mike Nesbitt steps down as UUP leader". 3 March 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-northern-ireland-2017-39173640
External links[edit]
Manifestos