Green Party in Northern Ireland

The Green Party in Northern Ireland is a minor political party operating in Northern Ireland. In 2005 at their Annual Convention they became a Regional Council of the Irish Green Party and also have sought to become a branch of the Scottish Green Party while being recognised as an autonomous party of the Green Party of England and Wales. In this way, their North-South and East-West organisation makes them the only party in Northern Ireland to not only support the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, but also to live it through their organisational arrangement.

Related Topics:
Political party - Northern Ireland - Irish Green Party - Scottish Green Party - Green Party of England and Wales

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They have met with limited electoral success, especially compared to the progress of the other Green parties in Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. They have won no parliamentary or assembly seats in their history, and polled only 0.9% of first preference votes in Northern Ireland at the European election in 2004, coming bottom of the poll.

Related Topics:
Ireland - United Kingdom - European election - 2004

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In the run-up to the 2005 local elections (held on the same day as the 2005 general election) they received a boost when they were joined by two independent councillors, Raymond Blaney on Down District Council and Brian Wilson (formerly a member of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) on North Down Borough Council. Blaney and Wilson provided the party with their first representation at any level. In the local elections Blaney retired but Wilson held his seat, topping the poll in the Bangor West district electoral area, whilst elsewhere the Greens also won councillors on Down District Council (Bill Corry in Downpatrick, taking Blaney's seat) and Newry and Mourne District Council (Ciaran Mussen in Crotlieve), the first election victories for the Greens. All over Northern Ireland, they won 5703 votes, or 1%.

Related Topics:
2005 local elections - 2005 general election - Raymond Blaney - Down District Council - Brian Wilson - Alliance Party of Northern Ireland - North Down Borough Council - Bangor - District electoral area - Bill Corry - Downpatrick - Newry and Mourne District Council - Ciaran Mussen - Crotlieve

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