Northern Ireland Elections 2007

Alliance Party

SNAPSHOT

Leader: David Ford

18 candidates

TOMMIE'S TAKE

Throughout its 36 years, the Alliance party has sought to change the 'traditional mould of sectarian politics'.

During the highly-charged years of the Troubles and in the years since the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, it has struggled to make its voice heard. In the March Assembly elections, it again faces a battle.

Alliance won 6 seats in the 1998 Assembly Elections. Its leader at the time, John Alderdice, subsequently resigned to take up the post as the Speaker of the Assembly.

Under the leadership of David Ford, Alliance played an important role, trying to address issues of mistrust between unionists and republicans in the power-sharing administration which eventually collapsed in October 2002.

Contrary to many predictions, Alliance retained 6 seats in the 2003 elections. One of its members, Eileen Bell, served as speaker in the Assembly that functioned at Stormont in a limited way from May 2006 to January 2007. But with Bell and another outgoing MLA, Seamus Close, opting to retire, Alliance is facing a familiar situation - under pressure.

56-year-old David Ford will face a tight contest in South Antrim. The party's deputy leader, Naomi Long, has made a considerable impact in East Belfast since she was elected in 2003.

The other two outgoing MLAs seeking re-election are former leader Sean Neeson (East Antrim) and Kieran Mc Carthy (Strangford).

2007 CANDIDATES

Bernard Fitzpatrick
Yvonne Boyle
Kieran McCarthy MLA
Allan Leonard
Jayne Dunlop
David Ford MLA
Stewart Dickson
Seán Neeson MLA
Thomas McCullough
Anna Lo
Naomi Long MLA,
Daniel McGuiness
Stephen Farry
David Griffin
Margaret Marshall
Trevor Lunn
Sheila McQuaid
Máire Hendron

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