Northern Ireland: Parliament, 5 May 2016

At stake in this election:

• 108 seats in the Tionól Thuaisceart Éireann (Northern Ireland Assembly)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
• Head of Government: First Minister Arlene FOSTER (since 11 January 2016)[1]
• Assembly: Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) has a unicameral Assembly with 108 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are elected by proportional representation to serve 5-year terms.

Last Election:

• Elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly were last held on 5 May 2011. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) took the most seats with 38, followed by Sinn Fein with 29. In total, representatives from 7 parties and 1 independent candidate entered parliament.

Main parties in the election:

• Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
  • Leader: Arlene FOSTER
  • Seats won in last election: 38
• Sinn Féin
  • Leader: Gerry ADAMS
  • Seats won in last election: 29
• Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
  • Leader: Mike NESBITT
  • Seats won in last election: 16
• Social Democratic and Labour Party/Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre
  • Leader: Colum EASTWOOD
  • Seats won in last election: 14
• Alliance Party of Northern Ireland/Páirtí Comhghuaillíochta Thuaisceart Éireann
  • Leader: David FORD
  • Seats won in last election: 8
• Traditional Unionist Voice
  • Leader: Jim ALLISTER
  • Seats won in last election: 1
• Green Party
  • Leader: Steven AGNEW
  • Seats won in last election: 1
• Progressive Unionist Party
  • Leader: Billy HUTCHINSON
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• NI21
  • Leader: Basil MCCREA
  • Seats won in last election: N/A

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 1,840,500 (June 2014 est.)

·         Registered Voters: 1,213,136 (2011)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 937,800 (June 2014 est.)

·         Is Northern Ireland a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (22 July 2981)

·         Has Northern Ireland ratified CEDAW: Yes (7 April 1986)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 19 (17.59%)

·         Human Development Index Position: 14 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Northern Ireland a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Northern Ireland ratified CRPD: Yes (8 June 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 276,075[2]