The assembly was created as part of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and the first election to it was held on June 25, 1998. The initial executive was headed by David Trimble as First Minister. On December 2, 1999 the United Kingdom devolved political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive. [1]
The assembly was suspended on October 14, 2002 as problems with the practicalities of power sharing mounted. The assembly dissolved on April 28, 2003 as it was scheduled to, but the elections due the following month were postponed by the British Labour government. These elections were held on November 26.
The 108 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are elected from 18 multi-member constituencies (the same constituencies used for Westminster elections) by the Single Transferable Vote.
The current state of the parties in the Assembly is as follows (1998 figures are in italics):
Note: Since the election, three Ulster Unionist Assembly members have moved to the Democratic Unionists.
| 1 |
11 |
21 |
31 |
11 |
21 |
4 |
14 |
24 |
10 |
2 |
| 2 |
12 |
22 |
32 |
12 |
22 |
5 |
15 |
1 |
11 |
3 |
| 3 |
13 |
23 |
33 |
13 |
23 |
6 |
16 |
2 |
12 |
4 |
| 4 |
14 |
24 |
4 |
14 |
24 |
7 |
17 |
3 |
13 |
5 |
| 5 |
15 |
25 |
5 |
15 |
25 |
8 |
18 |
4 |
14 |
6 |
| 6 |
16 |
26 |
6 |
16 |
26 |
9 |
19 |
5 |
15 |
1 |
| 7 |
17 |
27 |
7 |
17 |
27 |
10 |
20 |
6 |
16 |
2 |
| 8 |
18 |
28 |
8 |
18 |
1 |
11 |
21 |
7 |
17 |
3 |
| 9 |
19 |
29 |
9 |
19 |
2 |
12 |
22 |
8 |
18 |
|
| 10 |
20 |
30 |
10 |
20 |
3 |
13 |
23 |
9 |
1 |
| 1 |
Democratic Unionist Party: 33 | 20 |
| 2 |
Ulster Unionist Party: 24 | 28 |
| 3 |
Sinn Féin: 24 | 18 |
| 4 |
Social Democratic and Labour Party: 18 | 24 |
| 5 |
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland: 6 | 6 |
| 7 |
UK Unionist Party: 1 | 5 |
| 8 |
Progressive Unionist Party: 1 | 2 |
| Northern Ireland Women's Coalition: 0 | 2 |
|
| Independent Unionists: 0 | 3 |
|
| 9 |
Independent: 1 The Independent MLA is Dr. Charles Deeny (West Tyrone) |
|