Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP; Irish: Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has seven members in the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLAs) and two members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
Social Democratic and Labour Party Páirtí Daonlathach Sóisialta agus an Lucht Oibre | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | SDLP |
| Leader | Colum Eastwood |
| Chairperson | Daniel McCrossan |
| Party Manager | Catherine Matthews |
| Founders | |
| Founded | 21 August 1970 |
| Preceded by | |
| Headquarters | 121 Ormeau Road Belfast BT7 1SH |
| Youth wing | SDLP Youth |
| Women's wing | SDLP Women |
| LGBT wing | SDLP LGBT+ |
| Ideology | |
| European affiliation | Party of European Socialists |
| International affiliation | Socialist International (observer) |
| Colours | Green Red |
| House of Commons (NI seats) | 2 / 18 |
| NI Assembly | 7 / 90 |
| Local government in Northern Ireland | 39 / 462 |
| Website | |
| sdlp.ie | |
The SDLP party platform advocates Irish reunification and further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom. During the Troubles, the SDLP was the most popular Irish nationalist party in Northern Ireland, but since the Provisional IRA ceasefire in 1994, it has lost ground to the republican party Sinn Féin, which in 2001 became the more popular of the two parties for the first time. Established during the Troubles, a significant difference between the two parties was the SDLP's rejection of violence, in contrast to Sinn Féin's then-support for (and organisational ties to) the Provisional IRA and physical force republicanism.