Alliance Party of Northern Ireland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
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| Abbreviation | APNI |
| Leader | Naomi Long MLA |
| Deputy Leader | Eóin Tennyson |
| President | David Alderdice |
| Chairperson | Michelle Guy MLA |
| Founders | Oliver Napier Bob Cooper John Ferguson Basil Glass |
| Founded | 21 April 1970 |
| Preceded by | Ulster Liberal Party New Ulster Movement |
| Headquarters | 7 Farmley Road Newtownabbey BT36 7TY |
| Youth wing | Alliance Youth |
| LGBT wing | Alliance LGBT+ |
| Ideology | Liberalism Nonsectarianism Pro-Europeanism |
| Political position | Centre to centre-left |
| European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (associate) |
| International affiliation | Liberal International |
| National affiliation | Liberal Democrats |
| Colours | Yellow Black |
| House of Commons (NI seats) |
1 / 18
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| House of Lords |
0 / 777
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| NI Assembly |
17 / 90
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| Councillors in Northern Ireland |
67 / 462
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| Councils led in Northern Ireland |
3 / 11
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The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI), often called just Alliance, is a liberal and centrist political party in Northern Ireland. This means it supports individual freedoms and takes a middle-ground position on many issues. After the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, it became the third-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, with 17 seats.
The party was founded in 1970. Its main goal was to bring together the Protestant and Catholic communities in Northern Ireland. At first, it supported Northern Ireland remaining in the United Kingdom. Over time, it has become neutral on this issue. Instead, it focuses on building a society where a person's background doesn't define their politics. In the Assembly, Alliance is not designated as "Unionist" or "Irish nationalist," but as "Other."
Under the leadership of Naomi Long, the party has grown a lot. In 2019, Long won a seat in the European Parliament. That same year, Stephen Farry won a seat for Alliance in the UK House of Commons. The party's success continued in the 2022 Assembly election, where it more than doubled its number of seats.
Alliance is a member of international liberal groups and works with the Liberal Democrats in Great Britain.
Contents
History
Starting Out and Early Success
The Alliance Party was formed in April 1970, during a difficult time in Northern Ireland's history known as The Troubles. The founders wanted to create an alternative to parties they felt were based on religious division. Their goal was to build a bridge between the Protestant and Catholic communities.
The party believed that keeping Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom was best for everyone, but for economic and social reasons, not because of a person's background.
In 1973, three politicians from other parties joined Alliance, which helped it grow. The party did well in its first local elections that year, winning over 13% of the vote. After the Sunningdale Agreement, an attempt to create a power-sharing government, Alliance won eight seats in the new Northern Ireland Assembly. Two of its members, Oliver Napier and Bob Cooper, became ministers in the government.
Challenges and Changes
The 1980s were a tough time for Alliance. Events like the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike made the political divisions in Northern Ireland even deeper. This made it hard for a party that wanted to unite people. However, Alliance supported the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, which aimed to bring peace.
John Alderdice became the party leader in 1987. He called for a devolved government where different parties would share power. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, the party's support remained steady.
Alliance played an active role in the peace talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The party strongly supported this agreement, which created a new power-sharing government for Northern Ireland.
The Good Friday Agreement Era
After the Good Friday Agreement, John Alderdice stepped down as leader to become the first Presiding Officer (like a speaker) of the new Assembly. David Ford became the leader in 2001.
In the early 2000s, politics in Northern Ireland was very focused on the two main communities, which squeezed the "centre ground" where Alliance stood. However, in the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election, the party gained a seat. Anna Lo was elected, becoming the first person of Chinese heritage to be elected to a national assembly in Western Europe.
In 2010, Alliance had a major breakthrough. Naomi Long won a seat in the UK Parliament, defeating the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Peter Robinson, in Belfast East. This was the party's first MP since 1974.
Recent Growth and Success
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Naomi Long became the leader of Alliance in 2016. The party strongly opposed Brexit (the UK's decision to leave the European Union). It argued for another vote on the final deal and for staying close to Europe.
This position helped the party grow. In the 2019 local elections, Alliance gained many new councillors. Later that year, Naomi Long was elected to the European Parliament, a first for the party.
In the 2019 United Kingdom general election, the party's support grew even more. Stephen Farry won the North Down seat, giving Alliance a voice in the UK House of Commons again.
The party's biggest success came in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election. It won 17 seats, more than doubling its previous number. This made Alliance the third-largest party in the Assembly and showed that more and more people were supporting its vision for a shared future.
What the Party Believes In
Alliance's main belief is in creating a Northern Ireland where people are not divided by their background. It has moved from being a party for moderate unionists to one that is neutral on whether Northern Ireland should stay in the UK or join a united Ireland.
The party supports the Good Friday Agreement but wants to reform the government to make it work better for everyone. Alliance believes that a person's identity is personal and can change over time. It doesn't see "unionist" and "nationalist" as fixed groups, but as different political viewpoints.
Because of its liberal views, Alliance supports diversity and equality. The party campaigns for:
- Integrated education: Having children from Protestant and Catholic backgrounds learn together in the same schools.
- A better healthcare system.
- LGBT rights and equality for all people.
- Protecting the environment through a "Green New Deal."
Where Alliance Gets Its Votes
When the party started, its support was spread across Northern Ireland. Over time, its strongest support has come from the areas around Greater Belfast.
In recent years, the party has been growing in many different areas. In the 2010 election, Naomi Long's victory in East Belfast was a huge success. In the 2019 local elections, the party won seats in councils where it had never been represented before, like Derry & Strabane.
The 2022 Assembly election showed this growth continuing. Alliance won seats across the region, proving it could appeal to voters from all backgrounds. The party now holds the third-highest number of council seats in Northern Ireland, with 67 councillors elected in 2023.
Alliance Youth
| Alliance Youth | |
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| Chairperson | Cllr Jamie Harpur |
| Vice-Chairperson | Cohen Taylor |
| Ideology | Liberalism Pro-Europeanism |
| Mother party | Alliance Party |
| Website | allianceyouthni.org |
Alliance Youth is the part of the party for members under the age of 25. It helps young people get involved in politics and campaigns on issues that affect them.
These issues include mental health care for young people, the cost of going to university, and LGBT rights. Alliance Youth also supports young people who want to run for office and become elected representatives.
See also
In Spanish: Partido de la Alianza de Irlanda del Norte para niños
- Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland
- Liberalism in the United Kingdom
