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| Northern Ireland local elections: smaller parties make gains | Northern Ireland local elections: smaller parties make gains |
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| Centrist parties have thrived and the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) has consolidated its support, the results of Northern Ireland’s local elections show. | |
| With all first preference votes now counted, the Alliance and Green parties, as well as other small parties and independents, made gains, revealing a slight loosening of the traditional unionist-nationalist stranglehold. The DUP won 24.1% of first preferences, a modest increase from the 2014 local election, and Sinn Fein won 23.3%, a slight drop, confirming both parties still dominate the political landscape. | With all first preference votes now counted, the Alliance and Green parties, as well as other small parties and independents, made gains, revealing a slight loosening of the traditional unionist-nationalist stranglehold. The DUP won 24.1% of first preferences, a modest increase from the 2014 local election, and Sinn Fein won 23.3%, a slight drop, confirming both parties still dominate the political landscape. |
| Tories lose over 1,300 seats in local elections as major parties suffer | Tories lose over 1,300 seats in local elections as major parties suffer |
| But voters in Thursday’s election also rewarded alternative voices. The Alliance, a cross-community party that is the minnow of the five main Stormont parties, more than doubled its 2014 showing by achieving 11.5%, boosting its presence on councils across Northern Ireland. | But voters in Thursday’s election also rewarded alternative voices. The Alliance, a cross-community party that is the minnow of the five main Stormont parties, more than doubled its 2014 showing by achieving 11.5%, boosting its presence on councils across Northern Ireland. |
| The Green party jumped from 0.9% to 2.1%. People Before Profit, a leftwing group, won 1.4%, four times more than its previous share, winning seats for brothers Matt and Michael Collins, who will represent the party on Belfast city council, and a seat for veteran social justice campaigner Eamonn McCann, who will sit on Derry City and Strabane district council. | The Green party jumped from 0.9% to 2.1%. People Before Profit, a leftwing group, won 1.4%, four times more than its previous share, winning seats for brothers Matt and Michael Collins, who will represent the party on Belfast city council, and a seat for veteran social justice campaigner Eamonn McCann, who will sit on Derry City and Strabane district council. |
| In a region of calcified politics where big parties fight elections on constitutional lines to rally voters to green or orange banners, the results showed some voters want change. “If you look across the board this election has been about progressive politics,” Naomi Long, the Alliance leader, told the BBC. “The public were sending a message. We want to move forward.” The two main parties should heed this message, she said. | In a region of calcified politics where big parties fight elections on constitutional lines to rally voters to green or orange banners, the results showed some voters want change. “If you look across the board this election has been about progressive politics,” Naomi Long, the Alliance leader, told the BBC. “The public were sending a message. We want to move forward.” The two main parties should heed this message, she said. |
| The collapse of power-sharing in Stormont in 2017 amid acrimony between Sinn Féin and the DUP has frustrated many voters. However, neither party was punished. | The collapse of power-sharing in Stormont in 2017 amid acrimony between Sinn Féin and the DUP has frustrated many voters. However, neither party was punished. |
| The result was especially welcome for the DUP, which defied predictions of a backlash over its role in a so-called cash-for-ash scandal and its support for Brexit. DUP leaders also celebrated the victory of Alison Bennington, the party’s first openly gay candidate, who won a seat in Antrim and Newtownabbey despite protests from socially conservative colleagues. The result will embolden DUP modernisers. | |
| Full results will be announced on Sunday, revealing how vote shares have translated into council seats. | Full results will be announced on Sunday, revealing how vote shares have translated into council seats. |
| Rival unionist parties were the main losers. The Ulster Unionist party (UUP), once Northern Ireland’s political colossus, continued to shrivel, dwindling from 16.1% in 2014 to 14.1%. Traditional Unionist Voice lost about half its share, tumbling to 2.2%. The Progressive Unionist party, Ukip and the Conservatives also lost ground. | |
| Sinn Féin had hoped to further marginalise its nationalist rival, the SDLP, which has suffered a series of setbacks. But the smaller party’s first preference share dropped only slightly to 12%, showing unexpected resilience, while Sinn Féin struggled to make ground in several middle-class districts. | Sinn Féin had hoped to further marginalise its nationalist rival, the SDLP, which has suffered a series of setbacks. But the smaller party’s first preference share dropped only slightly to 12%, showing unexpected resilience, while Sinn Féin struggled to make ground in several middle-class districts. |
| Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland |
| Sinn Féin | Sinn Féin |
| Democratic Unionist party (DUP) | Democratic Unionist party (DUP) |
| Local elections | Local elections |
| Local politics | Local politics |
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| Ireland | Ireland |
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