A Northern Ireland Assembly election will be held to elect 90 members to the Northern Ireland Assembly on or before 6 May 2027. After the Northern Ireland Assembly election on 5 May 2022, the DUP (the largest unionist party in the legislature) declined to agree on the appointment of Speaker to the Assembly, preventing the formation of an Executive. Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, confirmed a legal obligation to call an election if no Executive was formed by a 27 October 2022 deadline.

As no Executive was formed by this deadline, the deadline was extended by legislation in the Westminster Parliament. A deadline of 18 January 2024 was then proposed. On 31 January 2024 the DUP and UK Government announced a deal had been struck to revive the Executive, and on 3 February 2024 the Assembly swore in Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O'Neill and DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

This election will be the eighth since the assembly was established in 1998. Seven parties have MLAs in the seventh assembly: Sinn Féin led by Michelle O'Neill, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) led by Gavin Robinson, Alliance led by Naomi Long, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) led by Jon Burrows, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) led by Claire Hanna, Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) led by Jim Allister, and People Before Profit (PBP) led by Richard Boyd Barrett.

Background

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, which is 6 May 2027; however, there are several circumstances in which the Assembly can be dissolved earlier. After the 2022 Assembly election, the DUP declined to join in forming a government due to its opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol on post-Brexit trading arrangements. If no government is formed within six months, the United Kingdom Government's Northern Ireland Secretary has to call a new election early or come up with some other solution.

No government was formed by the deadline. Rather than call a new election, Heaton-Harris introduced legislation to extend the deadline, the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022. The new deadline also passed with no resolution. Heaton-Harris produced a further extension through legislation via the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Organ and Tissue Donation) Act 2023.

On 27 February 2023, the UK and EU announced the Windsor Framework to make changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol. It was hoped that this would lead to formation of an Assembly executive; however, the DUP boycott continued. Heaton-Harris again brought primary legislation to further extend the deadline to 8 February 2024, via the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act 2024. On 30 January, the DUP announced that they would accept a deal conditional on legislation being passed by the UK government that saw them agreeing to form an executive with Sinn Fein. A new executive was formed on 3 February 2024.

Candidates * indicates an incumbent MLA

ConstituencySFDUPAllianceUUPSDLPTUVPBPGreenAontúIndependentOthersBelfast East Andy Allen* David McGreevy Brian Smyth Belfast North Mal O'Hara Belfast South and Mid Down Kathryn Owen Áine Groogan Belfast West Frank McCoubrey Paul DohertyEast Antrim Ciarán O’Connor East Londonderry Caoimhe Archibald*Kathleen McGurk Allister Kyle Claire Sugden*Fermanagh andSouth Tyrone Jemma Dolan*Colm Gildernew*Áine Murphy* Foyle Sandra DuffyCiara Ferguson*Christopher Jackson Darren Guy Emmet Doyle Lagan Valley Declan Lynch Mid Ulster Newry and Armagh Cathal Boylan*Aoife Finnegan*Liz Kimmins* Pete Byrne Keith Ratcliffe Roisin MulgrewNorth Antrim Philip McGuigan* Paul Frew*Darryl Wilson Timothy Gaston*Kirk Wilson North Down Pete Wray Peter Wilson Anthony Flynn South Antrim Declan Kearney* Steve Aiken* Liz Clarke Linzi McLaren South Down Sinead Ennis*Cathy Mason*Michael Rice Andrew McMurray* Strangford Nick Mathison*Vicky Moore Richard Smart Jonathan Jackson Gareth BurnsUpper Bann Catherine NelsonJohn O'Dowd* Kyle Savage Doug Beattie*West Tyrone

Members not seeking re-election Constituency First elected (or co-opted) Party Date announced Mike Nesbitt Strangford 2011 Pádraig DelargyFoyle2021 (Elected 2022) Kellie ArmstrongStrangford201624 April 2026Patsy McGloneMid Ulster200329 May 2026Gerry KellyBelfast North199822 July 2026

Opinion polling Voting intention

Datesconducted Pollster Client Samplesize SF N DUP U APNI O UUP U SDLP N TUV U Green O Aontú N PBP O Other Lead N U OLucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,05022%15%10%16%13%12%5%3%2%2%6%38%43%19%Institute of Irish StudiesUniversity of Liverpool/ The Sunday Times1,53426.1%18.9%12.5%13.2%9.2%9.5%5.8%1.1%1.6%3.8%7.2%36.4%41.6%23.7%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,16224%18%11%13%11%11%5%3%2%2%6%38%42%20%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,97525%19%11%13%11%11%4%2%1%3%6%38%43%19%15 Jan 2026Jon Burrows is announced as the only candidate nominated for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)Nov 2025Institute of Irish Studies University of Liverpool/The Irish NewsN/A25.3%19.2%12.6%12.0%9.2%10.4%5.1%N/A2.6%3.6% 6.1%34.5%41.6%23.9%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,90825%18%11%12%11%13%4%2%2%2% 7%38%43%19%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,02826%17%12%11%11%13%3%2%2%3% 9%39%41%20%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,75526%18%13%12%11%12%3%2%1%2% 8%39%42%19%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,00128%19%14%11%11%11%2%1%1%2% 9%40%41%19%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,20929%19%13%10%10%11%2%1%2%3% 10%40%40%20%Richard Boyd Barrett becomes the leader of People Before Profit (PBP)Claire Hanna becomes the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)Mike Nesbitt becomes the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)Colum Eastwood resigns as leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)Doug Beattie resigns as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,44330%18%15%12%8%9%2%1%1%4% 12%39%39%22%2024 general election –27.0%22.1%15.0%12.2%11.1%6.2%1.1%1.0%1.1% 7.6%39.1%40.5%20.4%LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,02129%21%15%11%8%8%1%2%1%4%8%40%40%20%Jeffrey Donaldson resigns as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,20731%24%14%10%7%6%1%2%1%4%7%40%40%20%Establishment of the new executive LucidTalk Belfast Telegraph 3,04631%28% 16% 8% 6% 4% 2% 1% 1% 2% 3%38%40%22% LucidTalk Belfast Telegraph 2,95031%26% 15% 10% 6% 5% 2% 2% 1% 2% 5%39%41%20% 2023 local elections –30.9%23.3%13.3%10.9%8.7%3.9%1.7%0.9%1.0% 7.6%40.5%38.1%21.4% LucidTalk Belfast Telegraph 3,55729%25% 13% 11% 7% 7% 2% 2% 1% 3% 4%38%43%19% Institute of Irish Studies University of Liverpool/The Irish News N/A30.6%23.9% 15.4% 11.3% 6.7% 4.8% 3.2% 0.2% 2.2% 6.7%37.5%40%22.5% LucidTalk Belfast Telegraph 1,49931%25% 15% 10% 7% 7% 1% 2% 1% 1% 6%40%42%18% LucidTalk Belfast Telegraph 3,35132%27% 15% 9% 7% 5% 2% 1% 1% 1% 5%40%41%19% LucidTalk Belfast Telegraph 3,38430%24% 16% 11% 7% 6% 2% 2% 1% 1% 6%39%41%20% Institute of Irish Studies University of Liverpool/The Irish News 1,00030.9%20.1% 15.3% 9.6% 10.0% 4.7% 2.8% 1.6% 2.2% 2.8% 10.8%42.5%34.4%23.1% 2022 Assembly election– 29.0%21.3% 13.5% 11.2% 9.1% 7.6% 1.9% 1.5% 1.1% 7.7%39.6%40.1%20.3% Note: Next to the party initials at the top of the table there are the letters "N", "O", and "U". These show how the parties have chosen to designate themselves, Unionist (U), Nationalist (N) or other (O), in the Assembly previously (or, in the case of Aontú, how they are expected to designate if they win a seat). This is a function of the Assembly's consociational design.

Leadership approval ratings

Michelle O'Neill The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Michelle O'Neill, Vice President of Sinn Féin since 10 February 2018, First Minister of Northern Ireland since 3 February 2024 and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 11 January 2020 to 4 February 2022.

Datesconducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/Great Bad/Awful Don't know Net approval9–12 February 2024LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,20754%29%17%+25%3 February 2024O'Neill becomes First Minister of Northern Ireland11–14 August 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95043%37%20%+6%21–24 April 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95741%37%22%+4%20–23 January 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44941%40%19%+4%4–7 November 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35146%37%17%+9%12–15 August 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38440%42%18%–2%

Jeffrey Donaldson The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) until 29 March 2024.

Datesconducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/Great Bad/Awful Don't know Net approval29 March 2024Donaldson resigns as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)9–12 February 2024LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,20736%48%16%–12%11–14 August 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95024%66%10%–42%21–24 April 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95727%65%8%–38%20–23 January 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44925%63%12%–38%4–7 November 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35129%65%6%–36%12–15 August 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38427%64%9%–37%

Naomi Long The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Naomi Long, leader of the Alliance Party since 26 October 2016 and Minister of Justice since 3 February 2024 and from 11 January 2020 to 27 October 2022. Datesconducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/Great Bad/Awful Don't know Net approval9–12 February 2024LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,20738%36%26%+2%3 February 2024Long becomes Minister of Justice11–14 August 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95038%39%23%–1%21–24 April 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95740%38%22%+2%20–23 January 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44937%38%25%–1%4–7 November 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35145%37%18%+8%27 October 2022Long is removed as Minister of Justice due to the collapse of the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive12–15 August 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38446%37%17%+9%

Doug Beattie The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Doug Beattie, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) since 27 May 2021. Datesconducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/Great Bad/Awful Don't know Net approval19 August 2024Beattie resigns as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)9–12 February 2024LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,20735%35%30%0%11–14 August 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95034%38%28%–4%21–24 April 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95738%33%29%+5%20–23 January 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44928%42%30%–14%4–7 November 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35137%32%31%+5%12–15 August 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38434%34%32%0%

Colum Eastwood The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Colum Eastwood, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 14 November 2015 to 5 October 2024. Datesconducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/Great Bad/Awful Don't know Net approval29 August 2024Eastwood resigns as leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)9–12 February 2024LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,20731%41%28%–10%11–14 August 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95026%43%31%–17%21–24 April 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95732%40%28%–8%20–23 January 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44933%38%29%–5%4–7 November 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35131%39%30%–8%12–15 August 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38434%39%27%–5%

Jim Allister The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jim Allister, leader of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) since 7 December 2007.