1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election Turnout 69.8%
First party
Second party
Third party
Leader
David Trimble
John Hume
Ian Paisley
Party
UUP
SDLP
DUP
Leader since
8 September 1995
28 November 1979
30 September 1971
Leader's seat
Upper Bann
Foyle
North Antrim
Last election
30 seats, 24.2%
21 seats, 21.4%
24 seats, 18.8%
Seats won
28
24
20
Seat change
2
3
4
Popular vote
172,225
177,963
145,917
Percentage
21.3%
22.0%
18.5%
Swing
2.9%
0.6%
0.3%
Fourth party
Fifth party
Sixth party
UKUP
Leader
Gerry Adams
John Alderdice
Robert McCartney
Party
Sinn Féin
Alliance
UK Unionist
Leader since
13 November 1983
3 October 1987
1995
Leader's seat
Belfast West
Belfast East
North Down
Last election
17 seats, 15.5%
7 seats, 6.5%
3 seats, 3.7%
Seats won
18
6
5
Seat change
1
1
2
Popular vote
142,858
52,636
36,541
Percentage
16.7%
5.6%
4.5%
Swing
1.2%
0.9%
0.8%
Seventh party
Eighth party
PUP
NIWC
Leader
Hugh Smyth
Monica McWilliams & Pearl Sagar
Party
PUP
NI Women's Coalition
Leader since
1979
1996
Leader's seat
Ran in Belfast West (lost)
Belfast South (McWilliams )Ran in Belfast East (lost) (Sagar )
Last election
2 seats, 3.5%
2 seats, 1.0%
Seats won
2
2
Seat change
Popular vote
20,634
13,019
Percentage
2.6%
1.6%
Swing
0.9%
0.6%
Seats won by each party and combined first preference vote share of the largest party.
Break down of each party and sectarian camp's seats in constituencies Election results. Voters elect 6 assembly members from the 18 constituencies.
First Minister before election
New position
First Minister after election
David Trimble
UUP
The 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election took place on Thursday, 25 June 1998. This was the first election to the new devolved Northern Ireland Assembly . Six members from each of Northern Ireland's eighteen Westminster Parliamentary constituencies were elected by single transferable vote , giving a total of 108 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).