2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election
| country =
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election
| previous_year = 2017
| next_election = Next Northern Ireland Assembly election
| next_year = Next
| outgoing_members = 6th Northern Ireland Assembly
| elected_members = 7th Northern Ireland Assembly
| seats_for_election = All 90 seats to the Northern Ireland Assembly
| majority_seats =
| opinion_polls =
| election_date = 5 May 2022
| turnout = 63.61% ({{decrease}}1.2%)
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Michelle O'Neill 2020.jpg|bSize = 130|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader1 = Michelle O'Neill{{refn|group=n|O'Neill is the "Party leader in the North" and vice president. Sinn Féin's president is Mary Lou McDonald, but she is not a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, as she is Leader of the Opposition in the neighbouring Republic of Ireland and sits in the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Republic of Ireland's parliament).}}
| leader_since1 = 23 January 2017{{refn|group=n|As "Party leader in the North"}}
| party1 = Sinn Féin
| leaders_seat1 = Mid Ulster
| last_election1 = 27 seats, 27.9%
| seats1 = 27
| seat_change1 = {{steady}}
| popular_vote1 = 250,388
| percentage1 = 29.0%
| swing1 = {{increase}}1.1%
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Jeffrey Donaldson election infobox.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader2 = Jeffrey Donaldson
| leader_since2 = 30 June 2021
| party2 = Democratic Unionist Party
| leaders_seat2 = Lagan Valley (resigned){{efn|Donaldson was elected to the Assembly but declined to take up his seat. Emma Little-Pengelly was co-opted to the seat in his place.}}
| last_election2 = 28 seats, 28.1%
| seats2 = 25
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}}3
| popular_vote2 = 184,002
| percentage2 = 21.3%
| swing2 = {{decrease}}6.7%
| image3 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Naomi_Long_MLA.jpg|bSize = 160|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 15}}
| leader3 = Naomi Long
| leader_since3 = 26 October 2016
| party3 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
| leaders_seat3 = Belfast East
| last_election3 = 8 seats, 9.1%
| seats3 = 17
| seat_change3 = {{increase}}9
| popular_vote3 = 116,681
| percentage3 = 13.5%
| swing3 = {{increase}}4.5%
| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Doug Beattie.png|bSize = 150|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 10|oLeft = 10}}
| leader4 = Doug Beattie
| leader_since4 = 17 May 2021
| party4 = Ulster Unionist Party
| leaders_seat4 = Upper Bann
| last_election4 = 10 seats, 12.9%
| seats4 = 9
| seat_change4 = {{decrease}}1
| popular_vote4 = 96,390
| percentage4 = 11.2%
| swing4 = {{decrease}}1.7%
| image5 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Colum Eastwood SDLP Conference 2023.jpg|bSize = 180|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 32}}
| leader5 = Colum Eastwood
| leader_since5 = 14 November 2015
| party5 = Social Democratic and Labour Party
| leaders_seat5 = Did not stand{{efn|Eastwood sits in the House of Commons as the MP for Foyle}}
| last_election5 = 12 seats, 11.9%
| seats5 = 8
| seat_change5 = {{decrease}}4
| popular_vote5 = 78,237
| percentage5 = 9.1%
| swing5 = {{decrease}}2.9%
| image6 = {{CSS image crop|Image= Official portrait of Jim Allister MP crop 2.jpg|bSize = 140|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 10}}
| leader6 = Jim Allister
| leader_since6 = 7 December 2007
| party6 = Traditional Unionist Voice
| leaders_seat6 = North Antrim
| last_election6 = 1 seat, 2.6%
| seats6 = 1
| seat_change6 = {{steady}}
| popular_vote6 = 65,788
| percentage6 = 7.6%
| swing6 = {{increase}}5.0%
| image7 = {{CSS image crop|Image= Eamonn McCann, Foyle MLA 2016.jpg|bSize = 150|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 10}}
| leader7 = Eamonn McCann{{refn|group=n|People Before Profit has a collective leadership, but for the purposes of registration to the UK Electoral Commission, Eamonn McCann is registered as the party's leader in Northern Ireland.{{cite web |title=Registration Summary |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP773 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604075423/http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP773 |archive-date=4 June 2016 |access-date=28 October 2017 |publisher=The Electoral Commission}}}}
| party7 = People Before Profit
| leaders_seat7 = Did not stand
| leader_since7 = N/A
| last_election7 = 1 seat, 1.8%
| seats7 = 1
| seat_change7 = {{steady}}
| popular_vote7 = 9,798
| percentage7 = 1.1%
| swing7 = {{decrease}}0.6%
| title = First Minister and
deputy First Minister
| posttitle = First Minister and
deputy First Minister
| before_election = vacant positions
| after_election = Michelle O'Neill (SF) &
Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP)
| map_image = File:2022 Northern Ireland Election Map.svg
| map_size = 400px
}}
The 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election was held on 5 May 2022. It elected 90 members to the Northern Ireland Assembly. It was the seventh assembly election since the establishment of the assembly in 1998. The election was held three months after the Northern Ireland Executive collapsed due to the resignation of the First Minister, Paul Givan of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), in protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.{{cite news |title=DUP: NI First Minister Paul Givan announces resignation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60241608 |publisher=BBC News |date=3 February 2022 |access-date=21 February 2024}}
In the sixth assembly, elected in 2017, eight parties had Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs): the DUP, latterly led by Jeffrey Donaldson; Sinn Féin, led by Michelle O'Neill; the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), latterly led by Doug Beattie; the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), led by Colum Eastwood; Alliance, led by Naomi Long; the Greens, led by Clare Bailey; People Before Profit (PBP), which has a collective leadership; and the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), led by Jim Allister.
Sinn Féin became the largest party, marking the first time an Irish nationalist/republican party won the most seats in an assembly election in Northern Ireland, and has the right to nominate Northern Ireland's first nationalist First Minister. The DUP's vote share dropped almost 7% and it lost three seats; despite this, unionists won two more seats than nationalists—37 seats to 35—and a marginally higher share of the vote.{{cite news |date=8 May 2022 |title=NI election results 2022: The assembly poll in maps and charts |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61363246 |access-date=9 May 2022 |publisher=BBC News}} Alliance made large gains, as the only party to gain seats at the election, overtaking the UUP and the SDLP to become the third-largest party in the Assembly. The Greens lost both seats they held before the election and were unrepresented in the Assembly for the first time since 2003.{{cite news |last1=McClements |first1=Freya |last2=Graham |first2=Seanín |last3=Hutton |first3=Brian |last4=Moriarty |first4=Gerry |date=7 May 2022 |title=Assembly election: Sinn Féin wins most seats as parties urged to form Executive |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/assembly-election-sinn-f%C3%A9in-wins-most-seats-as-parties-urged-to-form-executive-1.4872352 |access-date=7 May 2022 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}{{cite news |date=7 May 2022 |title=NI election results 2022: Sinn Féin wins most seats in historic election |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-61355419 |access-date=10 May 2022 |publisher=BBC News}}
As Northern Ireland's government is based on power-sharing, the DUP (the largest unionist party) was required to nominate a deputy First Minister for the Executive to be formed and the Assembly to conduct business; however, they refused to do so due to their opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol and post-Brexit trading arrangements.{{cite news |date=9 May 2022 |title=NI election 2022: DUP blocks new NI government in Brexit protest |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-61373504 |access-date=10 May 2022 |publisher=BBC News}} It wasn't until 31 January 2024 that the DUP and UK Government announced a deal had been struck to revive the Executive,{{cite web |last1=Piper |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Young |first2=Sarah |title=UK unveils DUP deal to restore Northern Ireland government |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/new-package-n-ireland-will-guarantee-smooth-flow-trade-uk-government-2024-01-31/ |publisher=Reuters |date=1 February 2024}} and on 3 February 2024 the Assembly swore in Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O'Neill and DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.{{cite web |last1=Ferguson |first1=Amanda |last2=Thomas |first2=Natalie |title=Northern Ireland appoints Irish nationalist as First Minister in historic shift |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/northern-ireland-elect-first-irish-nationalist-first-minister-2024-02-03/ |publisher=Reuters |date=4 February 2024 |access-date=21 February 2024}}
Background
=Electoral events=
In May 2013, Theresa Villiers, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announced that the next Assembly election would be postponed to May 2016, and would be held at fixed intervals of five years thereafter.{{cite news |date=10 May 2013 |title=Northern Ireland Assembly elections put back to 2016 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22480728 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609182806/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22480728 |archive-date=9 June 2013 |access-date=11 May 2013 |publisher=BBC News}} Section 7 of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 specifies that elections will be held on the first Thursday in May on the fifth calendar year following that in which its predecessor was elected,{{cite web |title=Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/13/contents/enacted/data.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101132/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/13/contents/enacted/data.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=7 May 2016 |website=Legislation.gov.uk}} which would be 5 May 2022; however, there are several circumstances in which the Assembly can be dissolved before the date scheduled by virtue of section 31(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
In June 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union, although Northern Ireland voted to remain.{{cite news |date=24 June 2016 |title=EU referendum: Northern Ireland votes to Remain |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36614443 |access-date=31 December 2021 |publisher=BBC News}} The process of withdrawal held particular uncertainty for Northern Ireland due to the potential for customs on the UK–Ireland border.{{cite web |last1=O'Leary |first1=Brendan |last2=Coakley |first2=John |last3=Garry |first3=John |date=27 April 2017 |title=How Northern Ireland voted in the EU referendum – and what it means for border talks |url=http://theconversation.com/how-northern-ireland-voted-in-the-eu-referendum-and-what-it-means-for-border-talks-76677 |access-date=31 December 2021 |website=The Conversation}} Meanwhile, an early election was held to the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2017. After the election, Sinn Féin stated that it would not return to a power-sharing arrangement with the Democratic Unionist Party without significant changes in the party's approach, including Arlene Foster not becoming First Minister until an investigation into the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal was complete.{{Cite web |date=6 March 2017 |title='No revolt within DUP,' says Foster |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-northern-ireland-2017-39173640 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306143724/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-northern-ireland-2017-39173640 |archive-date=6 March 2017 |publisher=BBC News |df=dmy-all}} Over the next few years,{{Cite web |date=4 July 2017 |title=Stormont talks: Brokenshire to 'reflect' amid ongoing deadlock |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40489510 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704135724/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40489510 |archive-date=4 July 2017 |publisher=BBC News |df=dmy-all}}{{Cite web |date=2 January 2020 |title=Talks to end NI devolution deadlock resume |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-50968588 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109081447/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-50968588 |archive-date=9 January 2020 |access-date=12 April 2020 |publisher=BBC News}} the deadline to form an executive was repeatedly extended as negotiations continued with no success.{{cite web |last=Kroet |first=Cynthia |date=27 March 2017 |title=No Snap Election in Northern Ireland After Talks Collapse |url=http://www.politico.eu/article/no-snap-election-in-northern-ireland-after-talks-collapse/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327201508/http://www.politico.eu/article/no-snap-election-in-northern-ireland-after-talks-collapse/ |archive-date=27 March 2017 |access-date=27 March 2017 |publisher=Politico}}{{cite web |date=12 April 2017 |title=Stormont talks: Direct rule or election 'if no deal' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-39576415 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006185051/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-39576415 |archive-date=6 October 2018 |access-date=21 July 2018 |publisher=BBC News}}{{cite web |date=21 April 2017 |title=Stormont power-sharing talks deadline set for 29 June |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39651071 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421003953/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39651071 |archive-date=21 April 2017 |publisher=BBC News |df=dmy-all}}
On 18 April 2017, Theresa May, Prime Minister of the UK, called for a general election to be held on 8 June 2017.{{cite news |date=18 April 2017 |title=The moment PM called for general election |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-39627175 |access-date=27 December 2021 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} The Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority and sought a confidence and supply agreement with the DUP in order to remain in government. The DUP and the Conservatives reached an agreement on 26 June.{{cite news |date=26 June 2017 |title=Conservatives agree pact with DUP to support May government |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40403434 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728173408/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40403434 |archive-date=28 July 2019 |access-date=26 June 2017 |publisher=BBC News}}
In 2019, the UK experienced significant political turbulence over the question of how to proceed with Brexit. The European Parliament election in May 2019 saw the Alliance Party take the third MEP place from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). DUP support for the Conservative government broke down with disagreements over the government's Brexit plans. The Conservative government sought a new election, held in December 2019, which they won with a large majority. In Northern Ireland, for the first time, traditional Irish nationalist parties won more seats than traditional unionist parties. The SDLP and Alliance returned to the House of Commons, while the DUP and Sinn Féin saw vote share declines of more than 5%.{{cite news |last=McClements |first=Freya |date=13 December 2019 |title=North returns more nationalist than unionist MPs for first time |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/north-returns-more-nationalist-than-unionist-mps-for-first-time-1.4114260 |access-date=31 December 2021 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}
A DUP/Sinn Féin executive was re-established on 10 January 2020 with the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement, forestalling an immediate new election.{{Cite news |last=Gorman |first=Sophie |date=11 January 2020 |title='Cautious optimism': Northern Ireland's government restored after 3-year deadlock |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200111-cautious-optimism-northern-ireland-s-government-restored-after-3-year-deadlock-sinn-fein-dup-belfast |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920214508/https://www.france24.com/en/20200111-cautious-optimism-northern-ireland-s-government-restored-after-3-year-deadlock-sinn-fein-dup-belfast |archive-date=20 September 2021 |access-date=20 September 2021 |publisher=France 24}} By the end of February 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Northern Ireland.{{Cite news |title=First Northern Ireland coronavirus case confirmed as 'drive-through' test centre set up at Antrim hospital |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus/first-northern-ireland-coronavirus-case-confirmed-as-drive-through-test-centre-set-up-at-antrim-hospital-39001866.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501090029/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus/first-northern-ireland-coronavirus-case-confirmed-as-drive-through-test-centre-set-up-at-antrim-hospital-39001866.html |archive-date=1 May 2020 |access-date=29 February 2020 |work=Belfast Telegraph}}
On 15 January 2022, the UK government was accused of interfering in the election by reintroducing dual mandates, which had been abolished in 2016. This would enable MPs like Donaldson to have seats in Stormont as well as Westminster,{{cite web |last=Francis |first=Alannah |date=15 January 2022 |title=UK government accused of interfering in Northern Ireland assembly election with rule change |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/uk-government-accused-interfering-northern-ireland-assembly-election-bid-let-mps-sit-stormont-1403727 |access-date=22 January 2022 |website=inews.co.uk}} but plans were withdrawn four days later.{{Cite news |last=McClafferty |first=Enda |date=19 January 2022 |title=Double jobbing: Plan to bring back dual mandate withdrawn, PM says |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60050164 |access-date=23 January 2022 |publisher=BBC News}}
=Leadership changes=
On 28 April 2021, Arlene Foster announced that she would be resigning as DUP leader on 28 May and First Minister in June 2021 after more than 20 DUP MLAs and four DUP MPs signed a letter "...voicing no confidence in her leadership".{{cite news |date=2021-04-28 |title=Arlene Foster announces resignation as DUP leader and NI first minister |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-56910045 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501094408/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-56910045 |archive-date=1 May 2021 |access-date=6 May 2021 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Edwin Poots narrowly won the subsequent May 2021 DUP leadership election, but announced his resignation 21 days later.{{cite news |date=17 June 2021 |title=Poots announces resignation as DUP leader |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/nireland-parties-agree-new-first-minister-staving-off-fresh-crisis-2021-06-17/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617225206/https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/nireland-parties-agree-new-first-minister-staving-off-fresh-crisis-2021-06-17/ |archive-date=17 June 2021 |access-date=18 June 2021 |publisher=Reuters}} The runner-up in the election, Jeffrey Donaldson, stood unopposed in the June 2021 DUP leadership election and with no other candidates the party chose not to hold a ballot (some parties still do a leadership vote or ballot with one candidate with the other option to re-open nominations). Donaldson was ratified as the party's leader on 30 June 2021.{{cite news |date=30 June 2021 |title=DUP leadership: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson ratified as party leader |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57644499 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701085404/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57644499 |archive-date=1 July 2021 |access-date=23 July 2021 |publisher=BBC News}} Meanwhile, after Poots elected not to replace Foster as First Minister,{{cite news |date=6 June 2021 |title=Edwin Poots 'faces difficulties' over first minister job |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57374694 |access-date=3 February 2022 |publisher=BBC News}} Paul Givan took up the position on 17 June 2021.{{cite news |last=Carroll |first=Rory |date=17 June 2021 |title=Northern Ireland: Paul Givan becomes first minister after Irish language deal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jun/17/sinn-fein-designates-deputy-first-minister-to-avert-stormont-crisis |access-date=3 February 2022 |work=The Guardian}}
Steve Aiken announced his resignation as leader of the UUP on 8 May 2021,{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Ryan |date=8 May 2021 |title=Steve Aiken to resign as UUP leader |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/steve-aiken-resign-uup-leader-20554426 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511112929/https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/steve-aiken-resign-uup-leader-20554426 |archive-date=11 May 2021 |access-date=11 May 2021 |work=BelfastLive}} with Doug Beattie taking up the post nine days later after standing unopposed.{{cite news |date=17 May 2021 |title=Doug Beattie: Who is the new leader of the UUP? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57060947 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609222703/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57060947 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |access-date=9 June 2021 |publisher=BBC News}}
=Northern Ireland Protocol=
The Northern Ireland Protocol is a protocol to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement that governs the unique customs and immigration issues at the border in the island of Ireland between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and on some aspects of trade in goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.{{Cite journal |date=31 January 2020 |title=AGREEMENT on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12020W/TXT&from=EN |journal=Official Journal of the European Union |volume=Document 12020W/TXT |issue=L 29/7 |accessdate=21 April 2022}} Its terms were negotiated in 2019 and agreed and concluded in December 2020. Due to a thirty-year internecine conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles, the UK–Ireland border has had a special status since that conflict was ended by the Belfast Agreement/Good Friday Agreement of 1998. As part of the Northern Ireland Peace Process, the border has been largely invisible, without any physical barrier or customs checks on its many crossing points; this arrangement was made possible by both countries' common membership of both the European Single Market and EU Customs Union, and of their Common Travel Area.
The DUP threatened to pull out of Stormont's power-sharing government on 9 September 2021, triggering a snap election "within weeks" unless the protocol was scrapped. Donaldson warned: "I say not as a threat but as a matter of political reality that our political institutions will not survive a failure to resolve the problems the Protocol has created."{{cite news |last=Blevins |first=David |date=9 September 2021 |title=DUP threatens to trigger snap election 'within weeks' if Northern Ireland Protocol remains |url=https://news.sky.com/story/dup-threatens-to-trigger-snap-election-within-weeks-if-northern-ireland-protocol-remains-12402919 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920211921/https://news.sky.com/story/dup-threatens-to-trigger-snap-election-within-weeks-if-northern-ireland-protocol-remains-12402919 |archive-date=20 September 2021 |access-date=19 September 2021 |publisher=Sky News}} The following week, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood accused the DUP of having a "petulant strop" and called for a new law to stop an early election. He told peers that the "delicate constitutional balance" in Northern Ireland was "too fragile for people to play games with".{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Stephen |date=15 September 2021 |title=SDLP leader Colum Eastwood calls for new law to stop election if Stormont fails |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-58573653 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918025131/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-58573653 |archive-date=18 September 2021 |access-date=19 September 2021 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
On 3 February 2022, Givan resigned as First Minister in protest over the protocol, which automatically resulted in the Deputy First Minister losing her role and the Northern Ireland Executive collapsing.{{cite news |date=3 February 2022 |title=DUP's Paul Givan resigns as Northern Ireland First Minister saying it was 'privilege of my life' |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-02-03/dupannouncement-as-paul-givan-expected-to-resign-as-ni-first-minister |access-date=3 February 2022 |work=ITV News}}{{cite news |last1=Flanagan |first1=Eimear |last2=Edgar |first2=Damien |date=3 February 2022 |title=DUP: NI First Minister Paul Givan announces resignation |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60241608 |access-date=3 February 2022 |publisher=BBC News}} Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said that the UK government would "reform" the protocol if the EU did not,{{cite news |last=O'Carroll |first=Lisa |date=20 April 2022 |title=UK will 'reform' Northern Ireland protocol if EU will not, says Rees-Mogg |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/20/brexit-uk-northern-ireland-protocol-jacob-rees-mogg |access-date=21 April 2022 |work=The Guardian}} whilst it was also reported that Westminster was planning legislation that would give ministers powers to abolish the protocol altogether.{{cite news |date=22 April 2022 |title=No 10 could tear up NI Protocol to 'save peace' |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/no-10-could-tear-up-ni-protocol-to-save-peace-41576050.html |access-date=22 April 2022 |work=Belfast Telegraph}} During a rally in Ballymena on 30 April, TUV leader Jim Allister said that the Executive would not be returning unless the protocol was removed.{{Cite news |last=McCambridge |first=Jonathan |date=30 April 2022 |title=No return of Stormont until NI Protocol is scrapped, rally told |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/no-return-of-stormont-until-ni-protocol-is-scrapped-rally-told-41603115.html |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=Belfast Telegraph}}
=Calls for early election=
Following the collapse of the Assembly, Sinn Féin and the DUP both called for the election to be brought forward, but the UUP, SDLP and Alliance Party opposed the idea.{{Cite news |date=3 February 2022 |title=Sinn Féin call for early Stormont election |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-02-03/sinn-fin-call-for-early-stormont-election |access-date=4 February 2022 |work=UTV}}{{Cite news |last=McCormack |first=Jayne |date=5 February 2022 |title=DUP: Could Northern Ireland have an early election? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60266722 |access-date=5 February 2022 |work=BBC News}} Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis ruled out an early election,{{Cite news |last=PA Media |date=8 February 2022 |title=Northern Ireland Secretary rules out early Stormont election |url=https://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/19907351.northern-ireland-secretary-rules-early-stormont-election/ |access-date=8 February 2022 |work=Wandsworth Times}} saying that the priority was to get the Assembly up and running again.{{Cite news |last=Blevins |first=David |date=8 February 2022 |title=Northern Ireland: Brandon Lewis rules out early elections after first minister's resignation |url=https://news.sky.com/story/northern-ireland-brandon-lewis-rules-out-early-elections-after-first-ministers-resignation-12536296 |access-date=8 February 2022 |work=Sky News}} Two weeks later, however, Lewis claimed there was "a real risk" that the Executive would not return after the election.{{Cite news |date=22 February 2022 |title='Real risk' Stormont won't return after election, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis warns |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-02-21/ni-secretary-on-risk-dup-will-not-return-to-executive-post-election |access-date=22 February 2022 |work=UTV}}
Candidates
Nominations opened on 29 March 2022 for the assembly election and closed on 8 April 2022.{{Cite web |title=NI Assembly Election 5 May 2022 |url=http://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Election-results-and-statistics/Election-results-and-statistics-2003-onwards/Elections-2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201161047/http://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Election-results-and-statistics/Election-results-and-statistics-2003-onwards/Elections-2022 |archive-date=1 February 2022 |access-date=8 April 2022 |publisher=The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland}}
A total of 239 candidates contested the 90 available seats in the Assembly, an increase from 228 in 2016. Eighty-seven women ran as candidates in the election, which is the highest number in history.{{Cite news |last=Andrews |first=Chris |date=6 May 2022 |title=NI election results 2022: Sinn Féin tops first preference vote in NI election |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61333297 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506213230/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61333297 |archive-date=6 May 2022 |work=BBC}} The seats were spread over 18 constituencies, with each constituency having five seats. The election was conducted using the single transferable vote system.
The table below lists all of the nominated candidates.{{Cite web |title=Statements of Persons Nominated |url=http://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Information-for-candidates-and-agents/Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-and-Notice-of-Poll |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408171137/https://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Information-for-candidates-and-agents/Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-and-Notice-of-Poll |archive-date=8 April 2022 |access-date=8 April 2022 |website=EONI}}{{Cite web |last1=Leebody |first1=Christopher |last2=Campbell |first2=Niamh |date=12 April 2022 |title=Northern Ireland Assembly elections candidates in full: Who is standing in your area? |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/northern-ireland-assembly-elections-candidates-in-full-who-is-standing-in-your-area-41535242.html |access-date=12 April 2022 |website=Belfast Telegraph}}
{{plainlist|
* 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 2017–22 Assembly
- Leaders of parties represented in the assembly at dissolution are shown in bold text
- Elected candidates are marked with an (E)
}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
! rowspan="2" |Constituency !DUP !SF !SDLP !UUP !TUV !PBP ! rowspan="2" width="10%"|Independent ! rowspan="2" width="10%"|Others |
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Traditional Unionist Voice}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Green Party Northern Ireland}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|People Before Profit}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Aontú}};" | |
|---|
| Belfast East
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| David Brooks (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Mairéad O'Donnell |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Charlotte Carson |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Andy Allen* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Naomi Long* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| John Ross |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Brian Smyth |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Hannah Kenny |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| | |
| Belfast North
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Phillip Brett (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Gerry Kelly* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Nichola Mallon* |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Nuala McAllister (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Ron McDowell |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Mal O'Hara |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Fiona Ferguson |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Seán Mac Niocaill |Stafford Ward |Billy Hutchinson^ (PUP) |
| Belfast South
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Edwin Poots* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Deirdre Hargey* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Matthew O'Toole* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Stephen McCarthy |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Paula Bradshaw* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Andrew Girvin |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Clare Bailey* |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Sipho Sibanda |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Luke McCann |Elly Odhiambo |
| Belfast West
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Frank McCoubrey |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| {{nowrap|Danny Baker (E)}} |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Paul Doherty |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Linsey Gibson |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Donnamarie Higgins |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Jordan Doran |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Stevie Maginn |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Gerry Carroll* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Gerard Herdman |Gerard Burns |
| East Antrim
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| David Hilditch* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Oliver McMullan^ |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Siobhán McAlister |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| John Stewart* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Stewart Dickson* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Norman Boyd^ |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Mark Bailey |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| | | |
| East Londonderry
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Maurice Bradley* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Caoimhe Archibald* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Cara Hunter* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Darryl Wilson |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Chris McCaw |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Jordan Armstrong |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Mark Coulson |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Amy Merron |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Gemma Brolly |Claire Sugden* (Ind U) (E) |
| Fermanagh and South Tyrone |style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Deborah Erskine* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Jemma Dolan* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Adam Gannon |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| {{nowrap|Tom Elliott^ (E)}} |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Matthew Beaumont |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Alex Elliott |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Kellie Turtle |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Emmett Kilpatrick |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Denise Mullen |Derek Backhouse |Donal O'Cofaigh (CCLA) |
| Foyle
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Gary Middleton* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Pádraig Delargy* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| {{nowrap|Mark H. Durkan* (E)}} |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Ryan McCready |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Rachael Ferguson |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Elizabeth Neely |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Gillian Hamilton |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Shaun Harkin |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Emmet Doyle |Anne McCloskey |Colly McLaughlin (IRSP) |
| Lagan Valley
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Jeffrey Donaldson^ (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Gary McCleave |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Pat Catney* |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Robbie Butler* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Sorcha Eastwood (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Lorna Smyth |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Simon Lee |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Amanda Doherty |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| |Gary Hynds | |
| Mid Ulster
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Keith Buchanan* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Linda Dillon* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Patsy McGlone* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Meta Graham |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Claire Hackett |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Glenn Moore |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Stefan Taylor{{refn|group=n|Taylor was suspended from the Greens on 29 April 2022, though his name still appeared on the ballot.{{Cite news |last=Cousins |first=Graeme |date=29 April 2022 |title=Green Party candidate in Mid Ulster Stefan Taylor withdraws from campaign, party retracts endorsement |url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/green-party-candidate-in-mid-ulster-stefan-taylor-withdraws-from-campaign-party-retracts-endorsement-3675390 |access-date=30 April 2022 |work=The News Letter}}}} |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Sophia McFeely |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Alixandra Halliday |Patrick Haughey |Conor Rafferty (Resume NI) |
| Newry and Armagh
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| William Irwin* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Cathal Boylan* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Justin McNulty* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| David Taylor |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Jackie Coade |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Keith Ratcliffe |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Ciara Henry |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Daniel Connolly |Gavin Malone |Nicola Grant (WP) |
| North Antrim
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Paul Frew* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Philip McGuigan* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Eugene Reid |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Robin Swann* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Patricia O'Lynn (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Jim Allister* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Paul Veronica |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| |Laird Shingleton | |
| North Down
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Stephen Dunne* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Thérèse McCartney |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Déirdre Vaughan |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Alan Chambers* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Connie Egan (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| John Gordon |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Rachel Woods* |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| |Alex Easton* (Ind U) (E) |Matthew Robinson (Con) |
| South Antrim
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Pam Cameron* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Declan Kearney* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Roisin Lynch |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Steve Aiken* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| John Blair* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Mel Lucas |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Lesley Veronica |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Jerry Maguire |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Róisín Bennett |Andrew Moran | |
| South Down
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Diane Forsythe (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Sinéad Ennis* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Colin McGrath* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Jill Macauley |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Patrick Brown (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Harold McKee^ |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Noeleen Lynch |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Paul McCrory |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Rosemary McGlone |Patrick Clarke | |
| Strangford
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Harry Harvey* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Róisé McGivern |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Conor Houston |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Mike Nesbitt* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Kellie Armstrong* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Stephen Cooper |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Maurice Macartney |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| |Ben King | |
| Upper Bann
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| {{nowrap|Jonathan Buckley* (E)}} |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| John O'Dowd* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Dolores Kelly* |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Doug Beattie* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Eóin Tennyson (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Darrin Foster |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Lauren Kendall |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| Aidan Gribbin | |Glenn Beattie (Heritage) |
| West Tyrone
|style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| Tom Buchanan* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"| Nicola Brogan* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"| Daniel McCrossan* (E) |style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"| Ian Marshall |style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"| Stephen Donnelly |style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"| Trevor Clarke |style:"background;{{Party shading/Green Party of Northern Ireland}}"| Susan Glass |style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"| Carol Gallagher |style:"background;{{Party shading/Aontú}}"| James Hope |Barry Brown |Amy Ferguson (SP) |
| ! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Traditional Unionist Voice}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Green Party Northern Ireland}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|People Before Profit}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Aontú}};" | |
Members not seeking re-election
The following MLAs announced that they would not stand for re-election.{{Cite news |last=McCormack |first=Jayne |date=26 March 2022 |title=NI election 2022: Which MLAs are standing down from Stormont? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60860518 |access-date=9 May 2022 |publisher=BBC}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;" |
| scope="col" | {{abbr|MLA|Member of legislative assembly}}
! scope="col" | Constituency ! scope="col" | First elected ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Date announced |
|---|
| Trevor Lunn
| 2007 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}}{{refn|group=n|Originally elected as Alliance}} |
| Emma Rogan
| 2017 | style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};" | |
| Sinéad Bradley
| 2016 | style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}};" | | SDLP |
| Alex Maskey
| 1998 | style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};" | |
| Chris Lyttle
| 2010 | style="background:{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}};" | | Alliance |
| Robin Newton
| 2003 | style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" | | DUP |
| George Robinson
| 2003 | style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" | | DUP |
| William Humphrey
| 2010 | style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" | | DUP |
| Paula Bradley
| 2011 | style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" | | DUP |
| Paul Rankin
| 2022 | style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" | | DUP |
| Jim Wells
| 1998 | {{Party name with colour|Independent Unionist}}{{refn|group=n|Originally elected as DUP}} |
Campaign
The Sinn Féin campaign avoided talk of a united Ireland,{{cite news |last=McClafferty |first=Enda |date=26 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: Sinn Féin steers clear of Irish unity focus in campaign |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61182907 |access-date=26 April 2022 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} instead focusing on "bread and butter" issues.{{cite web |last=Manley |first=John |date=26 April 2022 |title=Sinn Féin manifesto prioritises bread and butter issues but keeps Irish unity on the agenda |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2022/04/26/news/sinn-fe-in-manifesto-prioritises-bread-and-butter-issues-but-keeps-irish-unity-on-the-agenda-2651952/ |access-date=26 April 2022 |website=The Irish News}} Sinn Féin called for a £230 payment to help people with the cost of living.{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Stephen |date=25 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: Sinn Féin calls for £230 cost-of-living payment |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-61217403 |access-date=26 April 2022 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} A threat to destroy a Sinn Féin billboard was reported to the police.{{cite news |last=Black |first=Rebecca |date=24 April 2022 |title=Online threat to damage Sinn Féin billboard 'reported to police' – O'Dowd |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/online-threat-to-damage-sinn-fein-billboard-reported-to-police-odowd-41583250.html |access-date=26 April 2022 |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} The Social Democratic and Labour Party's campaign had reportedly been difficult.{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Stephen |date=21 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: SDLP hoping history repeats itself |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61167461 |access-date=26 April 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Candidate Elsie Trainor was attacked by youths in Belfast who also hurled sectarian abuse.{{cite web |date=2022-04-13 |title=Assembly Election candidate attacked while on campaign trail |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-04-13/sdlp-assembly-election-candidate-attacked-in-south-belfast |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=ITV News}} Leader Colum Eastwood urged tactical voting.{{cite web |last=PA Media |date=24 April 2022 |title=SDLP leader urges tactical votes for his party to restore Stormont |url=https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/national/20089958.sdlp-leader-urges-tactical-votes-party-restore-stormont/ |access-date=26 April 2022 |website=Gazette Series}} Aontú was the only Irish nationalist party to campaign on an anti-abortion platform.{{cite news |last=Toner |first=John |date=24 April 2022 |title=Aontú would never support abortion under any circumstances, says party candidate Alixandra Halliday |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/news/aontu-would-never-support-abortion-under-any-circumstances-says-party-candidate-41581127.html |access-date=26 April 2022 |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}
The Democratic Unionist Party campaign focused on their opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol, Sinn Féin and the prospect of a referendum on Irish unity.{{cite news |last=Campbell |first=Niamh |date=5 April 2022 |title=Mixed reactions to DUP's new party election broadcast as focus on Sinn Féin criticised |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/mixed-reactions-to-dups-new-party-election-broadcast-as-focus-on-sinn-fein-criticised-41521995.html |access-date=7 May 2022 |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB}} The Traditional Unionist Voice said that opposing the Northern Ireland Protocol is "top priority".{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Stephen |date=22 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: TUV says opposing Protocol must be top priority |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61182027 |access-date=26 April 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} They received a number of defections from the DUP.{{cite news |last=McAdam |first=Noel |date=25 April 2022 |title=Blow for DUP as officers in South Down quit the party |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/blow-for-dup-as-officers-in-south-down-quit-the-party-41586904.html |access-date=26 April 2022 |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} In contrast to the DUP, the Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said a united Ireland would not happen in his or his children's lifetime, thus "we can set it aside in order to concentrate on the issues affecting the daily lives of our people who live here".{{cite news |last=Gordon |first=Gareth |date=31 March 2022 |title=NI election 2022: Doug Beattie says 'no united Ireland in children's lifetime' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-60945410 |access-date=26 April 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} All three unionist leaders attended a series of rallies against the Protocol. In March, Beattie announced he would continue to oppose the Protocol but would no longer take part in the rallies. Beattie said they had been hijacked by loyalists to raise tensions "that now see a resurgence in UVF activity". Following this, his constituency office in Portadown was attacked,{{cite news |date=28 March 2022 |title=NI Protocol: Doug Beattie's office attack 'inevitable consequence' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60896330 |publisher=BBC News}} and an election poster with a noose around his neck appeared at a loyalist rally in Lurgan.{{cite news |last=Hewitt |first=Ralph |date=8 April 2022 |title=Anger as Doug Beattie 'noose' poster is left ahead of Lurgan anti-NI Protocol rally |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/anger-as-doug-beattie-noose-poster-is-left-ahead-of-lurgan-anti-ni-protocol-rally-41535621.html |work=Belfast Telegraph}}
The Alliance Party advocated reform of the Stormont institutions to remove the designation system and avoid a "cycle of collapse". It also advocated health reform and the introduction of a child payment scheme to support people with the cost of living.{{cite news |title=Sam McBride: Alliance manifesto talks tough on Stormont reform |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/alliance-manifesto-talks-tough-on-stormont-reform-41594514.html |access-date=24 May 2022 |work=belfasttelegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} The party further promised to build Casement Park,{{cite news |last=Beacom |first=Stephen |date=25 April 2022 |title=Alliance leader Naomi Long: We must ensure Casement Park is built and Northern Ireland can host matches at Euro 2028 |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/alliance-leader-naomi-long-we-must-ensure-casement-park-is-built-and-northern-ireland-can-host-matches-at-euro-2028-41586879.html |access-date=26 April 2022 |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} positioned itself as the "centre ground" and campaigned in constituencies west of the River Bann, where they have never won any seats.{{cite news |last=McCormack |first=Jayne |date=8 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: Alliance a party with high expectations |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61029123 |access-date=26 April 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
The Green Party pledged the establishment of a bill of rights, an independent Environmental Protection Agency, and rent controls.{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Stephen |date=21 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: Green Party punches above its weight, says leader |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61175941 |access-date=26 April 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} The People Before Profit manifesto was launched on 22 April. In it, they promised a £1,000 to help with cost of living.{{cite news |last=McClafferty |first=Enda |date=21 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: People Before Profit launches manifesto |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61179083 |access-date=26 April 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} On 30 April, PBP candidate Hannah Kenny was attacked by three men in East Belfast, who also subjected her to "sectarian and misogynistic" abuse.{{cite web |last=Ambrose |first=Tom |date=30 April 2022 |title=Stormont candidate 'grabbed by throat' while canvassing |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/30/stormont-candidate-hannah-kenny-grabbed-by-throat-while-canvassing |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=The Guardian}}
On 13 April, it was reported that the Police Service of Northern Ireland had been notified of 41 political poster incidents.{{cite news |last1=Sproule |first1=Luke |last2=McCormack |first2=Jayne |date=13 April 2022 |title=NI election 2022: 41 poster incidents reported to police |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61085293 |access-date=26 April 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Televised debates between the party leaders were held on 1 May and 3 May.{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Brendan |date=1 May 2022 |title=UTV debate: Rating the Stormont leaders' performances |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/news-opinion/utv-election-debate-rating-stormont-23838678 |access-date=2 May 2022 |work=BelfastLive}}{{cite news |last=McClafferty |first=Enda |date=3 May 2022 |title=NI election 2022: Leaders' debate raises energy levels of campaign |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61313894 |access-date=4 May 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;"
|+ 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly debates |
| rowspan="3" | Date scheduled ! rowspan="3" | Organisers ! rowspan="3" | Moderator(s) ! colspan="5" | {{Colors|black|#90FF90| P }} {{smaller|Present{{efn|Denotes a main invitee attending the event.}} }} ! rowspan="3" scope="col" style="width:5em;" | Audience ! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| DUP
! SF ! SDLP ! UUP ! Alliance |
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}};"| |
| 1 May
| UTV | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P |Yes |
| 3 May
| Jim Fitzpatrick | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P | {{Yes|P | Yes |
{{notelist}}
Opinion polls
{{row hover highlight}}
{{wide image|Opinion polls Northern Ireland 2022 (made accessible for colorblind readers).png|1000px|Local regression of polls conducted}}
| class="wikitable sortable mw-datatable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;"
! rowspan="2"|Date(s) ! rowspan="2"|Pollster ! rowspan="2"|Client ! data-sort-type="number" rowspan="2"|Sample ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|DUP U ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|SF N ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|UUP U ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|SDLP N ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|APNI O ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|TUV U ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|Green O ! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|PBP O !Aontú N ! rowspan="2" |Other ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" |Lead | |
| data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};"|
! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};"| ! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}};"| ! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}};"| ! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}};"| ! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Traditional Unionist Voice}};"| ! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Green Party Northern Ireland}};"| ! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|People Before Profit}};"| ! data-sort-type="number" style="background:{{party color|Aontú}};"| | |
|---|---|
| {{opdrts | 5|May|2022|year}}
|2022 Assembly election |– |– |21.3% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|29.0% |11.2% |9.1% |13.5% |7.9% |1.9% |1.1% |1.5% |3.5% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|7.7% |
| {{Opdrts|16|26|Apr|2022|year}}
|[https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/humanitiesampsocialsciences/documents/Institute,of,Irish,Studies,Irish,News,Poll,March,2022.pdf Social Market Research] |University of Liverpool/Irish News |1,270 |18.2% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|26.6% |12.1% |10.5% |18.2% |5.7% |2.9% |2.1% |TBD | | style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;" |8.4% | |
| {{opdrts|22|24|Apr|2022|year}}
|[https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/sinn-fein-remain-on-course-to-land-first-minister-position-in-latest-lucidtalk-poll-41598340.html LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |1,708 |20% | style="background:#DDEEEC;" |26% |14% |10% |14% |9% |3% |2% |TBD |2% | style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;" |6% | |
| {{opdrts|11|26|Mar|2022|year}}
|[https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/humanitiesampsocialsciences/documents/Institute,of,Irish,Studies,Irish,News,Poll,March,2022.pdf Social Market Research] |University of Liverpool/Irish News |1,000 |20.2% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|27.0% |13.6% |10.2% |14.7% |5.4% |4.3% |2.1% |0.3% |2.2% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|6.8% | |
| {{opdrts|18|21|Mar|2022|year}}
|[https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-assembly-election-2022/lucidtalk-opinion-poll-sinn-feins-michelle-oneill-nudges-closer-to-top-stormont-post-as-dup-lags-behind-41492902.html LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |3,281 |19% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|26% |13% |11% |16% |9% |2% |2% |0% |2% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|7% | |
| {{opdrts|25|7|Feb|2022|year}}
|[https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2022/02/14/news/new-opinion-poll-puts-sinn-fe-in-in-pole-position-2588053/ Social Market Research] |University of Liverpool/Irish News |1,002 |19.4% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|23.2% |14.0% |9.9% |15.6% |6.4% |6.3% |2.3% |0.3% | 2.6% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|3.8% | |
| {{opdrts | 3|Feb|2022|year}}
| colspan="14" |Paul Givan resigns as First Minister |
| {{opdrts|14|17|Jan|2022|year}}
|[https://belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/disaster-for-dup-leader-jeffrey-donaldson-as-sinn-fein-extends-lead-to-eight-points-41266170.html LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |3,112 |17% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|25% |14% |11% |14% |12% |3% |1% |1% |2% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|8% | |
| {{opdrts|5|11|Nov|2021|year}}
|[https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/dup-battling-back-but-sinn-feins-michelle-oneill-still-on-course-for-first-minister-41047391.html LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |3,298 |18% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|24% |14% |12% |15% |11% |2% |2% |0% |2% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|6% | |
| {{opdrts|21|29|Oct|2021|year}}
|[https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/humanities-and-social-sciences/research/projects/ni-protocol-consensus-or-conflict/ Social Market Research] |University of Liverpool |1,002 |20.6% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|23.5% |13.0% |11.4% |17.3% |5.6% |3.9% |1.0% |0.7% |2.4% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|2.9% | |
| {{opdrts|20|23|Aug|2021|year}}
|[https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/revealed-dup-support-plunges-behind-tuv-and-uup-in-shock-new-poll-40796153.html LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |2,403 |13% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|25% |16% |13% |13% |14% |2% |2% |0% |2% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|9% | |
| {{opdrts | 30|Jun|2021|year}}
| colspan="14" |Jeffrey Donaldson becomes leader of the Democratic Unionist Party{{cite news |date=30 June 2021 |title=DUP leadership: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson ratified as party leader |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57644499 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701043954/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57644499 |archive-date=1 July 2021 |access-date=1 July 2021 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} |
| {{opdrts | 17|Jun|2021|year}}
| colspan="14" |Paul Givan becomes First Minister |
| {{opdrts | 17|May|2021|year}}
| colspan="14" |Doug Beattie is elected leader of the Ulster Unionist Party{{cite news |date=17 May 2021 |title=Doug Beattie is elected new leader of Ulster Unionist Party |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57117879 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517124151/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57117879 |archive-date=17 May 2021 |access-date=17 May 2021 |publisher=BBC News}} |
| {{opdrts|14|17|May|2021|year}}
|[https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfast-telegraph-opinion-poll-northern-irelands-changing-political-landscape-as-support-for-parties-revealed-40453232.html LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |3,072 |16% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|25% |14% |12% |16% |11% |2% |2% |0% |2% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|9% | |
| {{opdrts | 14|May|2021|year}}
| colspan="14" |Edwin Poots is elected leader of the Democratic Unionist Party{{cite news |date=14 May 2021 |title=Edwin Poots is elected DUP leader |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57121825 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514154412/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57121825 |archive-date=14 May 2021 |access-date=15 May 2021 |publisher=BBC News}} |
| {{opdrts|22|25|Jan|2021|year}}
|[https://024943a0-ce9e-4fe5-85a2-d9f4d3bc845d.usrfiles.com/ugd/024943_4d976919c4f5444aa9275d6732954e89.pdf LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |2,295 |19% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|24% |12% |13% |18% |10% |2% |1% |0% |1% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|5% | |
| {{opdrts|2|5|Oct|2020|year}}
|[https://024943a0-ce9e-4fe5-85a2-d9f4d3bc845d.usrfiles.com/ugd/024943_27898474de14429387e1e6c4bc2ea0f3.pdf LucidTalk] |Belfast Telegraph |1,961 |23% |style="background:#DDEEEC;"|24% |12% |13% |16% |6% |3% |2% |0% |1% |style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};color:#FFFFFF;"|1% | |
| {{opdrts | 31|Jan|2020|year}}
| colspan="14" |The United Kingdom leaves the European Union{{Cite news |date=1 February 2020 |title=Brexit: UK leaves the European Union |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51333314 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314050137/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51333314 |archive-date=14 March 2020 |access-date=3 September 2021 |work=BBC News}} |
| {{opdrts | 11|Jan|2020|year}}
| colspan="14" |The Executive is re-established{{Cite web |date=9 January 2020 |title=Deal To See Restored Government In Northern Ireland Tomorrow |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deal-to-see-restored-government-in-northern-ireland-tomorrow |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614222005/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deal-to-see-restored-government-in-northern-ireland-tomorrow |archive-date=14 June 2021 |access-date=2021-09-02 |website=GOV.UK}} |
| {{opdrts | 12|Dec|2019|year}}
| colspan="14" |United Kingdom general election{{Cite book |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf |title=General Election 2019: results and analysis |publisher=House of Commons Library |year=2020 |edition=2 |location=London |pages=37 |access-date=2 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821114310/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf |archive-date=21 August 2021 |url-status=live}} |
| {{opdrts | 9|Nov|2019|year}}
| colspan="14" |Steve Aiken becomes leader of the Ulster Unionist Party{{Cite news |date=9 November 2019 |title=Steve Aiken becomes leader of the Ulster Unionist Party |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-50360493 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109184506/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-50360493 |archive-date=9 November 2019 |access-date=2 September 2021 |work=BBC News}} |
| {{opdrts | 23|May|2019|year}}
| colspan="14" |European Parliament election{{Cite book |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8600/CBP-8600.pdf |title=European Parliament Elections 2019: results and analysis |publisher=House of Commons Library |year=2019 |location=London |pages=42 |access-date=2 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803202853/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8600/CBP-8600.pdf |archive-date=3 August 2021 |url-status=live}} |
| {{opdrts | 2|May|2019|year}}
| colspan="14" |Local elections{{Cite news |date=5 May 2019 |title=Northern Ireland local elections 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cj736r74vq9t/northern-ireland-local-elections-2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517190525/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cj736r74vq9t/northern-ireland-local-elections-2019 |archive-date=17 May 2019 |access-date=2 September 2021 |work=BBC News}} |
| {{opdrts|23|26|Feb|2018|year}}
|[https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/024943_53f47095b5d14efdb0b31a2f2cd6342c.pdf LucidTalk] |Northern Slant |2,079 |style="background:#F5DDD6;"|33.6% |32.4% |10.3% |8.6% |8.0% |2.3% |1.9% |1.7% |– |1.7% |style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};color:#FFFFFF;"|1.2% | |
| {{opdrts|1|4|Dec|2017|year}}
|[https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/024943_7629d17b71d540c195e5e009390dae33.pdf LucidTalk] |GUE/NGL |2,079 |style="background:#F5DDD6;"|33.7% |32.8% |8.9% |8.6% |7.9% |1.1% |2.2% |1.1% |– |3.7% |style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};color:#FFFFFF;"|0.9% | |
| {{opdrts|8|11|Sep|2017|year}}
|[https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/024943_d5eac75b9725442483f741713b2bf605.pdf LucidTalk] |N/A |2,080 |style="background:#F5DDD6;"|35.5% |31.2% |9.6% |9.4% |8.6% |1.3% |1.7% |1.5% |– |1.3% |style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};color:#FFFFFF;"|4.3% | |
| {{opdrts | 2|Mar|2017|year}}
|– |– |style="background:#F5DDD6;"|28.1% |27.9% |12.9% |11.9% |9.1% |2.6% |2.3% |1.8% |– |3.6% |style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};color:#FFFFFF;"|0.2% |
Results
Votes were counted on 6 and 7 May.{{Cite news |date=6 May 2022 |title=Northern Ireland Assembly Election Results 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2022/northern-ireland/results |access-date=11 May 2022 |publisher=BBC}} Sinn Féin became the largest party, marking the first time an Irish nationalist/republican party had won the most seats in an election in Northern Ireland, and has the right to nominate Northern Ireland's first nationalist First Minister. As Northern Ireland's government is based on power-sharing, the DUP (as second-largest party) must nominate a deputy First Minister for the Executive to be formed; however, they said they will not do so until their issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol are dealt with.
The DUP's vote share dropped almost 7% and lost three seats; despite this, unionists won two more seats than nationalists—37 seats to 35—and a marginally higher share of the vote. This being said, socialist party People Before Profit—who returned one candidate to the Assembly—favour a united socialist Ireland, though they officially designated themselves as Socialist, rather than Nationalist or Unionist, on the electoral register. Indeed, both nationalist parties (4) and unionist parties (3) lost seats overall to 'Others', who gained 7 seats for their highest ever proportion of seats in the assembly, 18 seats, or 20% of those available, despite both Green candidates losing their seat. Unionist parties lost greater combined vote share, losing just over 2.5% of the total vote, whereas nationalist parties (including newcomers Aontú) lost only around 0.5% of vote share combined.
Alliance achieved their highest ever first-preference vote share in an Assembly election, becoming the third-largest party in the Assembly and adding over 50% to their vote share, going from 9% to over 13.5%. They overtook the UUP (who lost one seat) and the SDLP (who lost four), who both received their lowest ever vote shares. The TUV also achieved their highest vote share, tripling their share and up 5% from the last election, but they did not win any more seats.{{Cite news |last=Kildea |first=Jeff |date=10 June 2022 |title=Who Won the Elections for Northern Ireland Assembly? |url=https://tintean.org.au/2022/06/10/who-won-the-elections-for-northern-ireland-assembly/ |access-date=6 May 2022 |work=Tinteán}} The Greens lost both seats they held before the election and were shut out of the Assembly for the first time since 2003. Alex Easton, who left the DUP in 2021, was re-elected as an independent unionist, as was the returning former Justice Minister, Claire Sugden. Colum Eastwood believed SDLP voters gave their support to Sinn Féin in this election, saying "there's a tide there and people wanted to send a message, they wanted to kick the DUP and I think this is how they decided to do it".
{{Election results
|seattype1=Assembly
|seattype2=+/–
|seattype3=Executive
|seattype4=+/–
|party1=Sinn Féin|votes1=250388|sw1=+1.1|st1t1=27|st2t1=|st3t1=5|st4t1=+1
|party2=Democratic Unionist Party|votes2=184002|sw2=-6.7|st1t2=25|st2t2=-3|st3t2=4|st4t2=-1
|party3=Alliance Party of Northern Ireland|votes3=116681|sw3=+4.5|st1t3=17|st2t3=+9|st3t3=2|st4t3=+1
|party4=Ulster Unionist Party|votes4=96390|sw4=-1.7|st1t4=9|st2t4=-1|st3t4=1|st4t4=
|party5=Social Democratic and Labour Party|votes5=78237|sw5=-2.9|st1t5=8|st2t5=-4|st3t5=0|st4t5=-1
|party6=Traditional Unionist Voice|votes6=65788|sw6=+5.0|st1t6=1|st2t6=
|party7=Green Party Northern Ireland|votes7=16433|sw7=-0.4|st1t7=|st2t7=-2
|party8=Aontú|votes8=12777|sw8=New|st1t8=|st2t8=New
|party9=People Before Profit|votes9=9798|sw9=-0.6|st1t9=1|st2t9=
|party10=Progressive Unionist Party|votes10=2665|sw10=-0.4|st1t10=|st2t10=
|party11=Irish Republican Socialist Party|votes11=1869|sw11=New|st1t11=|st2t11=New
|party12=Workers' Party|votes12=839|sw12=-0.1|st1t12=|st2t12=
|party13=Cross-Community Labour Alternative|votes13=602|sw13=-0.3|st1t13=|st2t13=
|party14=Socialist Party|votes14=524|sw14=New|st1t14=|st2t14=New
|party15=Northern Ireland Conservatives|votes15=254|sw15=-0.3|st1t15=|st2t15=
|party16=Heritage Party|votes16=128|sw16=New|st1t16=|st2t16=New
|party17=Resume Party|votes17=13|sw17=New|st1t17=|st2t17=New
|party18=Independent|votes18=25315|sw18=+1.1|st1t18=2|st2t18=+1
|invalid=11078
|electorate=1373731
|source=
}}
File: 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election.svg
File:2022 Northern Ireland Election Map.svg
File: 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, Seats per Constituencies.svg
= Distribution of seats by constituency =
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 2019 United Kingdom general election under the first-past-the-post voting method.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||
| rowspan=3 colspan=2 | {{nowrap|Party of MP,}} 2019
! rowspan=3 | Constituency ! colspan=12 | Northern Ireland Assembly seats | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=2 | Total
! style="background:{{party color|People Before Profit}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Green Party Northern Ireland}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Traditional Unionist Voice}};" | ! style="background:{{party color|Independent politician}};" | ! rowspan=2 class="unsortable"|Gained ! rowspan=2 class="unsortable"|Formerly | ||||||||||||
| PBP
! Green ! Sinn ! SDLP ! APNI ! UUP ! DUP ! TUV ! {{abbr|Ind.|Independent}} | ||||||||||||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"|North Antrim | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|1 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Traditional Unionist Voice}}"|1 | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#d46a4c;"|DUP | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"| East Antrim | 5 | – | – | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|2 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#9999ff;"|UUP | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"| South Antrim | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|1 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Belfast North | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|2 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|1 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#99ff66;"|SDLP | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Belfast West | 5 | style:"background;{{Party shading/People Before Profit}}"|1 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Belfast South | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|2 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | – | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#8dc63f;"|Green | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Belfast East | 5 | – | – | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|2 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|rowspan=2|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;"| North Down | rowspan=2 | 5 | rowspan=2 | – | rowspan=2 | – | rowspan=2 | – | rowspan=2 | – | rowspan=2 style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}" | 2 | rowspan=2 style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}" | 1 | rowspan=2 style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"| 1 | rowspan=2 | – | rowspan=2 style="background-color:#cccccc"| 1 | style="background-color:#cccccc;" | {{abbr|Ind. U.|Independent unionist}} | style="background-color:#d46a4c;" | DUP | ||||||||||||
| style="background-color:#f6cb2f;" | Alliance
| style="background-color:#8dc63f;" | Green | ||||||||||||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Strangford | 5 | – | – | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|2 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#d46a4c;"|DUP | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Lagan Valley | 5 | – | – | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|2 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#99ff66;"|SDLP | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Upper Bann | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|1 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#99ff66;"|SDLP | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;"| South Down | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|2 | style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Alliance Party}}"|1 | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | – | –
| style="background:#f6cb2f;"|Alliance | style="background:#99ff66;"|SDLP | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Newry and Armagh | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|3 | style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"|1 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;" | Fermanagh & South Tyrone | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|3 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Ulster Unionist Party}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;"| West Tyrone | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|3 | style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"|1 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Mid Ulster | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|3 | style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"|1 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Foyle | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|2 | style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"|2 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|1 | – | – | – | – |
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
| style="text-align:left;"| East Londonderry | 5 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Sinn Féin}}"|1 | style:"background;{{Party shading/SDLP}}"|1 | – | – | style:"background;{{Party shading/Democratic Unionist Party}}"|2 | – | style="background-color:#cccccc"|1 | – | – |
| class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center; background:#ddd;"
| colspan=3 | {{sort|ZZA|Total}} | 90 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 8 | 17 | 9 | 25 | 1 | 2 | ||
| class="sortbottom"
| colspan=3 align="left"|{{sort|ZZB|Change since 2017}} |– | – | style="background:lavenderblush;"|–2 | – | style="background:lavenderblush;"|–4 | style="background:#ccffcc;"|+9 | style="background:lavenderblush;"|–1 | style="background:lavenderblush;"|−3 | – | style="background:#ccffcc;"|+1 | – | – | |
| class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center; background:#eee;"
| colspan=3 align="left"|{{sort|ZZE|Elected on 2 March 2017}} |90 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 28 | 1 | 1 | – | – | |
| class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center; background:#eee;"
| colspan=3 align="left"|{{sort|ZZE|Elected on 5 May 2016}} |108 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 38 | 1 | 1 | – | – | |
| class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center; background:#eee;"
| colspan=3 align="left"|{{sort|ZZE|Elected on 5 May 2011}} |108 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 38 | 1 | 1 | – | – | |
| class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center; background:#eee;"
| colspan=3 align="left"|{{sort|ZZE|Elected on 7 March 2007}} |108 | – | 1 | 28 | 16 | 7 | 18 | 36 | – | 1 | 1 Prog. U. | – | |
| class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center; background:#eee;"
| colspan=3 align="left"|{{sort|ZZG|Elected on 23 November 2003}} |108 | – | – | 24 | 18 | 6 | 27 | 30 | – | 1 | 1 Prog. U. | 1 UKUP | |
| class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center; background:#eee;"
| colspan=3 align="left"|{{sort|ZZI|Elected on 25 June 1998}} |108 | – | – | 18 | 24 | 6 | 28 | 20 | – | 4 | 2 Prog. U. | 5 UKUP, 2 NIWC |
=Share of first-preference votes=
Percentage of each constituency's first-preference votes. Absolute majorities are in bold. 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.
All constituencies were five-seat constituencies, with members elected under the Single transferable vote system. The quota in each constituency was therefore approximately 16.67% of the vote in the constituency. However, in some cases, despite a party gaining more than that share of the vote, imperfect transfer discipline between candidates meant that a seat was not automatically gained.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||||||||||
| colspan=3 | Member of Parliament, 2019
! rowspan=3 | Constituency ! colspan=14 | Northern Ireland Assembly seats | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Party
! rowspan=2 | Proportion ! {{party color cell|People Before Profit}} ! {{party color cell|Aontú}} ! {{party color cell|Sinn Féin}} ! {{party color cell|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} ! {{party color cell|Green}} ! {{party color cell|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} ! {{party color cell|Ulster Unionist Party}} ! {{party color cell|Democratic Unionist Party}} ! {{party color cell|Traditional Unionist Voice}} ! {{party color cell|Independent politician}} ! {{party color cell|Other}} ! rowspan=2 | Total ! rowspan=2 | Eligible ! rowspan=2 | Turn- | |||||||||||||||
| PBP ! Aontú ! Sinn ! SDLP ! Green ! APNI ! UUP ! DUP ! TUV ! {{abbr|Ind.|Independent}} ! Others | |||||||||||||||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 47.4%
| align=left|North Antrim | 18.5 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 9.5 | 20.5 | 25.7 | 21.3 | 0.1 | 51,220 | 81,935 | 62.5% | |||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 45.3%
| align=left|East Antrim | 9.1 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 23.1 | 24.2 | 29.6 | 9.1 | 40,693 | 67,699 | 60.1% | ||||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 35.3%
| align=left|South Antrim | 0.6 | 1.4 | 20.1 | 6.9 | 1.2 | 16.0 | 17.9 | 25.9 | 9.6 | 0.6 | 46,195 | 76,950 | 60.0% | |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | 47.1%
| align=left|Belfast North | 2.3 | 1.4 | 35.5 | 7.8 | 3.1 | 9.5 | 5.7 | 24.3 | 7.3 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 46,796 | 75,801 | 61.7% |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | 53.8%
| align=left| Belfast West | 7.5 | 4.0 | 63.7 | 5.8 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 9.5 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 44,440 | 68,727 | 64.7% |
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | 57.2%
| align=left|Belfast South | 1.3 | 1.7 | 20.3 | 15.8 | 8.7 | 24.9 | 6.5 | 15.4 | 4.1 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 47,306 | 73,497 | 64.4% |
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 49.2%
| align=left|Belfast East | 1.2 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 5.3 | 32.4 | 15.2 | 32.1 | 7.1 | 2.4 | 43,840 | 70,123 | 62.5% | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} | 45.2%
| align=left|North Down | 1.7 | 1.7 | 6.6 | 28.9 | 12.4 | 19.9 | 3.8 | 24.5 | 0.6 | 42,198 | 70,176 | 60.1% | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 47.2%
| align=left|Strangford | 3.9 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 24.1 | 15.2 | 33.8 | 12.7 | 0.3 | 41,345 | 70,775 | 58.4% | |||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 43.1%
| align=left|Lagan Valley | 0.5 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 1.3 | 24.3 | 19.3 | 34.7 | 6.8 | 1.4 | 51,543 | 81,562 | 63.2% | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 41.0%
| align=left|Upper Bann | 1.0 | 29.4 | 6.5 | 0.8 | 11.5 | 15.3 | 27.5 | 8.4 | 0.2 | 56,954 | 91,149 | 62.5% | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | 32.4%
| align=left|South Down | 1.0 | 44.3 | 16.5 | 0.8 | 12.6 | 5.2 | 11.8 | 6.0 | 0.2 | 55,631 | 84,046 | 66.2% | ||
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | 40.0%
| align=left|Newry & Armagh | 2.0 | 47.0 | 10.6 | 0.5 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 12.9 | 9.2 | 5.4 | 0.3 | 59,693 | 87,156 | 68.5% | |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | 43.3%
| align=left|Fermanagh & S. Tyrone | 0.2 | 1.7 | 44.7 | 7.1 | 0.6 | 5.3 | 15.5 | 17.7 | 5.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 54,560 | 78,963 | 69.1% |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | 40.2%
| align=left|West Tyrone | 0.8 | 1.4 | 47.0 | 11.9 | 0.6 | 6.5 | 4.1 | 14.4 | 9.1 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 46,629 | 69,702 | 66.9% |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | 45.9%
| align=left|Mid Ulster | 0.4 | 2.5 | 52.7 | 10.0 | 0.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 16.5 | 7.4 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 52,274 | 75,168 | 69.5% |
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | 57.0%
| align=left|Foyle | 5.6 | 4.3 | 32.8 | 30.8 | 0.5 | 4.7 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 47,674 | 77,343 | 61.6% |
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | 40.1%
| align=left|East Londonderry | 0.8 | 2.5 | 25.6 | 8.3 | 0.8 | 7.5 | 5.9 | 26.9 | 6.7 | 13.0 | 2.1 | 44,796 | 72,959 | 61.4% |
| style="background:#ddd;" class="sortbottom"
| colspan=4 style="text-align:left; background:#ddd;"|{{sort|ZZA|Northern Ireland}} | 1.1 | 1.5 | 29.0 | 9.1 | 1.9 | 13.5 | 11.2 | 21.3 | 7.6 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 873,781 | 1,373,731 | style="background:#ddd;"|63.6% | |
| class="sortbottom" style="background:#fff;"
| colspan=4 align="left"|{{sort|ZZB|Change since 2017}} | style="background:lavenderblush;"|−0.7 | style="background:mintcream;"|+1.5 | style="background:mintcream;"|+1.1 | style="background:lavenderblush;"|−2.8 | style="background:lavenderblush;"|−0.4 | style="background:mintcream;"|+4.4 | style="background:lavenderblush;"|−1.7 | style="background:lavenderblush;"|−6.8 | style="background:mintcream;"|+5.0 | style="background:mintcream;"|+1.1 | style="background:lavenderblush;"|−1.0 | style="background:mintcream;"|+60,998 | style="background:mintcream;"|+119,022 | style="background:lavenderblush;"| −1.2% | |
| style="background:#eaeaea;" class="sortbottom"
| colspan=4 align="left"|{{sort|ZZC|Election of March 2017}} | 1.8 | 27.9 | 11.9 | 2.3 | 9.1 | 12.9 | 28.1 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 812,783 | 1,254,709 | 64.8% | ||
| class="sortbottom" style="background:#eaeaea;"
| colspan=4 align="left"|{{sort|ZZD|Election of May 2016}} | 2.0 | 24.0 | 12.0 | 2.7 | 7.0 | 12.6 | 29.2 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 703,744 | 1,281,595 | 54.9% | ||
| class="sortbottom" style="background:#eaeaea;"
| colspan=4 align="left"|{{sort|ZZE|Election of May 2011}} | 26.9 | 14.2 | 0.9 | 7.7 | 13.2 | 30.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 661,736 | 1,210,009 | 55.6% | |||
| class="sortbottom" style="background:#eaeaea;"
| colspan=4 align="left"|{{sort|ZZF|Election of March 2007}} | 26.2 | 15.2 | 1.7 | 5.2 | 14.9 | 30.1 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 690,313 | 1,107,904 | 62.9% | ||||
| class="sortbottom" style="background:#eaeaea;"
| colspan=4 align="left"|{{sort|ZZG|Election of Nov. 2003}} | 23.5 | 17.0 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 22.7 | 25.7 | 5.6 | 2.8 | 692,026 | 1,097,526 | 63.1% | ||||
| class="sortbottom" style="background:#eaeaea;"
| colspan=4 align="left"|{{sort|ZZH|Election of June 1998}} | 17.6 | 22.0 | 0.1 | 6.5 | 21.3 | 18.1 | 10.9 | 3.5 | 823,565 | 1,178,556 | 69.9% |
= Incumbents defeated =
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Defeated MLA ! colspan="2" |Party ! Constituency ! New MLA ! colspan="2" |Party ! class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| Roy Beggs Jr
| {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| Dolores Kelly
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| Peter Weir
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| Pat Catney
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| Clare Bailey
| {{Party name with colour|Green Party Northern Ireland}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| Mervyn Storey
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| Rosemary Barton
| {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} |
| Nichola Mallon
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| Rachel Woods
| {{Party name with colour|Green Party Northern Ireland}} | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
Aftermath
{{Main|2024 Northern Ireland Executive formation}}
Shortly before the final results were announced, O'Neill said: "Today ushers in a new era. Irrespective of religious, political or social backgrounds, my commitment is to make politics work."{{cite news |last=McCambridge |first=Jonathan |date=12 May 2022 |title=Michelle O'Neill: Assembly election result ushers in new era |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/naomi-long-mary-lou-mcdonald-stormont-alliance-party-northern-ireland-b2073801.html |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=The Independent |location=London}} Donaldson stated that the Executive would not sit unless the Northern Ireland Protocol was removed. He later announced that he would not take his Assembly seat, which was co-opted by Emma Little-Pengelly,{{cite news |last=Harte |first=Lauren |date=12 May 2022 |title=Former DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly named as new MLA for Lagan Valley |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/former-dup-mp-emma-little-23942260 |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=BelfastLive}} and the DUP would not be nominating a Speaker until the UK government took "decisive action".{{cite news |last1=Graham |first1=Seanín |last2=McClements |first2=Freya |date=12 May 2022 |title=Return of Northern Ireland Assembly set to be blocked by DUP |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/return-of-northern-ireland-assembly-set-to-be-blocked-by-dup-1.4877016 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}
The SDLP responded by accusing the DUP of treating voters with contempt and "mak[ing] our electoral process look like a bad joke".{{cite news |last=Breen |first=Suzanne |date=13 May 2022 |title=DUP leader accused of treating voters with 'contempt' as Emma Little-Pengelly returns to fill Donaldson's seat at Stormont |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-leader-accused-of-treating-voters-with-contempt-as-emma-little-pengelly-returns-to-fill-donaldsons-seat-at-stormont-41645116.html |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=Belfasttelegraph |via=www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk}} Naomi Long, leader of Alliance, said DUP Assembly Members should not be allowed to claim their salary while they prevented the Assembly from functioning.{{cite web |last=O'Carroll |first=Rory |date=13 May 2022 |title=DUP condemned for paralysing Stormont as protocol row deepens |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/13/dup-vows-to-paralyse-stormont-as-northern-ireland-protocol-row-deepens |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=The Guardian}} These disagreements continued a political crisis from before the election, prompting Prime Minister Boris Johnson to visit Northern Ireland to discuss amendments to the Protocol.{{cite news |date=13 May 2022 |title=Boris Johnson to visit Belfast as regional political crisis deepens |url=https://www.ft.com/content/68ed9e17-9046-4a59-854c-897de1c1c30c |url-access=subscription |access-date=16 May 2022 |work=Financial Times}}{{cite news |last1=McCambridge |first1=Jonathan |last2=Black |first2=Rebecca |date=13 May 2022 |title=Boris Johnson to visit Northern Ireland amid political crisis |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-visit-northern-ireland-23955490 |access-date=16 May 2022 |work=BelfastLive}}
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) refused to resume power sharing due to its stance on the protocol.{{cite news |last=O'Carroll |first=Lisa |date=22 September 2022 |title=Northern Ireland power sharing slips to 2023 as few relish a winter election |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/22/northern-ireland-power-sharing-stormont-elections-protocol |access-date=25 September 2022 |work=The Guardian}}{{cite news |date=27 October 2022 |title=NI election looms as Stormont deadline passes |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-63420931 |access-date=28 October 2022 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} In the absence of an executive being formed, a new election should be called. However, the UK government got primary legislation passed three times to extend the deadline. Multiple negotiations with the DUP and the agreement of the Windsor Framework with the EU failed to produce a resolution.
However, on 30 January 2024, the DUP announced that it had accepted a deal (conditional on legislation being passed by the UK government) that saw it agreeing to form an executive. The Assembly first met on 3 February 2024, which saw Emma Little-Pengelly confirmed as Deputy First Minister, and Michelle O'Neill confirmed as First Minister, with a new executive formed the same day.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-northern-ireland-politics-68031910 | title=Northern Ireland: New deal means goods will flow freely throughout UK – Jeffrey Donaldson | work=BBC News |date=30 January 2024}}{{cite news |date=3 February 2024 |title=Stormont: Michelle O'Neill makes history as nationalist first minister |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-68180505 |access-date=3 February 2024 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
See also
{{Portal|Northern Ireland}}
Other elections in the UK that were held on the same day:
Footnotes
{{reflist|group=n}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election manifestos:
- [https://mydup.com/policies Democratic Unionist Party (5- Point Plan)]
- Sinn Féin [https://vote.sinnfein.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/A4_MANIFESTOenglish.pdf (English)] [https://vote.sinnfein.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/A4_MANIFESTOGaeilge.pdf (Irish/Gaeilge)]
- [https://www.sdlp.ie/manifesto Social Democratic and Labour Party]
- [https://assets.nationbuilder.com/uup/pages/40/attachments/original/1649258439/UUP_Manifesto_2022-_web.pdf Ulster Unionist Party]
- [https://assets.nationbuilder.com/allianceparty/pages/8261/attachments/original/1650982037/AllianceManifestoAE22.pdf Alliance Party]
- [https://www.greenpartyni.org/manifesto Green Party Northern Ireland]
- [https://www.pbp.ie/ae2022-manifesto/ People Before Profit]
- [https://tuv.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/TUV-manifesto2022.pdf Traditional Unionist Voice]
{{Northern Ireland elections}}
{{Northern Ireland Assembly}}