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NI parties reflect on early election results

Sinn Féin has received the most first-preference votes in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election by a wide margin.

The party received 250,388 first preferences, compared with the 184,002 returned for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

The DUP first preference vote has dropped by about 40,000.

The Alliance Party has increased its first preference vote by about 44,000 to 116,681.

6 May 2022

NI election 2022

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Keyframe #9

What do young people think of the protocol?

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Michelle O'Neill

No excuses for DUP, says Sinn Féin

Northern Ireland

Colum Eastwood and SDLP colleagues

SDLP will be in opposition at Stormont - Eastwood

Northern Ireland

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

DUP will not govern without protocol action

Northern Ireland

Alliance leader Naomi Long

'DUP must step up to the plate'

Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin was declared the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly for the first time.

How assembly election unfolded through the lens

Northern Ireland

Michelle O'Neill

Election signifies 'moment of change'

Northern Ireland

Alliance Party's Kate Nicholl won the final seat in Belfast South

Nicholl 'overwhelmed' to clinch South Belfast seat

Northern Ireland

Following his seat confirmation Edwin Poots spoke about his former colleague Christopher Stalford.

Edwin Poots says Belfast South win 'for Chris'

Northern Ireland

Doug Beattie

Beattie: Border poll fears affected UUP vote

Northern Ireland

Robin Swann topped the poll in north Antrim with 9,530 first preference votes

'It's a good day for unionism in north Antrim'

Northern Ireland

Naomi Long (right) celebrating with her party colleague Kellie Armstrong

Long 'serious' about making Stormont work

Northern Ireland

Keyframe #6The DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, was elected in his constituency on the first count

'I've consistently called for unionist cooperation'

Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O'Neill says it could be a historic day "for many reasons"

'Election about the future'

Northern Ireland

Assembly election candidates

How many candidates is each party running?

Northern Ireland

Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay

Greens launch local election campaign

Emma, with long brown hair and wearing a purple hoody, looks to the side of the camera

How schools can help bereaved pupils with grief

Emma, who lost her brother, says it can be "overwhelming" to deal with grief alongside school work.

Northern Ireland

Tom Hadden sits on a grey sofa. He is wearing a stripey top.

'Rural road crash changed my life'

Tom Hadden was driving a bin lorry down a country road when another truck collided with his vehicle.

Northern Ireland

A woman with straight blonde hair looks to the side of the camera. She is wearing a blue t-shirt and necklace.

Parents of SEN young people call for support

Currently pupils with special educational needs do not receive automatic support to continue in education when they leave school.

Northern Ireland

Memorial stone in Ballyatrick forest to Inga Maria Hauser. Bouquets of flowers have been placed around the stone

Murdered backpacker's family hopeful over inquest

Eighteen-year-old Inga Maria Hauser's body was found in Ballypatrick forest in County Antrim in 1988.

Northern Ireland

A hole in a dark gravel road up close with a road continuing in the background surrounded by fields

'The edges have eroded away'

Potholes and deteriorating rural roads are affecting journeys, said a transport provider.

Northern Ireland

Sebastian is being kissed on the cheek by his mother Amanda. He has short blonde hair and is wearing a blue jacket. Amanda is wearing a black and white headscarf and gold feathered earrings.

'He has nowhere to go and he's still there'

Sebastian's mother said he had limited access to the outside world after spending 10 months in hospital.

Northern Ireland

Noleen Mullan, the mother of Katie Simpson, speaking at a press conference. She is wearing an olive coat over a white top.

Katie Simpson family 'feeling empty' after report

Katie Simpson's mother says those responsible for police failings "are nowhere to be seen".

Northern Ireland

Debbie McCrudden

'I'm glad I didn't let the fear stop me'

Debbie McCrudden was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2014 and was worried about having children.

Northern Ireland

A man with black glasses and a yellow jumper looks at the camera. He has black hair

'We caught my cancer early - that was key'

Two men are raising awareness of the signs of testicular and prostate cancer.

Northern Ireland

A man with a black beard and black hair stands in front of University of Ulster building wearing a black hoody

Belfast reacts to Trump's US election victory

BBC NI asks people in Belfast how they feel about Donald Trump's victory in the US election.

Northern Ireland

Sandra Larmour

‘Drugs was never really a topic of conversation’

Sandra Larmour's daughter Jeni died hours after arriving at Newcastle University to begin her degree.

Northern Ireland

Gillian Kearney speaking at a police press conference. There is a green PSNI banner behind her and four microphones in front. She is in uniform and has blonde hair, which is tied back.

Increased police presence in Derry after attacks

Speaking at a press conference, Ch Supt Kearney says the extra policing will continue over the coming days.

Northern Ireland

Indiana Land sign, with snakes and birds

A trip down memory lane with BBC archives

More than 9,000 new video clips from the 1990s have been added to the BBC Northern Ireland Rewind website.

Northern Ireland

Cahir O'Hagan in football top in stadium

'Medication wasn't able to save my brother'

Cahir O'Hagan was 25 when he died from cystic fibrosis while waiting for a lung transplant.

Northern Ireland

Lara Storey sitting in front of a window

'I never had anyone sit down and take me seriously'

Former Tesco employee Lara Storey wants other women to know they don’t have to accept unwanted behaviour.

Northern Ireland

Melissa Hamilton - a woman with long, blonde hair which is tied back in a ponytail is smiling as she looks slightly off camera.

'To perform ballet back home is a dream come true'

Melissa Hamilton is performing three ballet shows in Belfast's Grand Opera House this weekend.

Northern Ireland

Kwame Daniels in front of the Telegraph building in Belfast. He is wearing thick-rimmed glasses, a green jacket, a red shirt and a ruck sack.

'I'm home': Anti-slavery show explores Belfast diversity

A unique live show commemorating Belfast's opposition to the slave trade has opened in the city centre.

Northern Ireland

Deirdre Shakespeare wearing a white blouse and gold necklace. She has wavy blonde hair and is outside. There are trees and fields behind her.

Mother 'vindicated' by report into autistic son's treatment

Deirdre Shakespeare's son, Harry, was restrained in a chair at his special school without her knowledge.

Northern Ireland

Christine McCleery - she has long blonde hair and a black top on.

'I want to prevent this happening again' - Mum of stillborn baby

Services for pregnant women need to be overhauled in Northern Ireland, a review finds.

Northern Ireland

Woody the dog - he wears a harness and is a red labrador. He has beautiful brown eyes

'One ferret killed 27 puffins' - the dog keeping seabirds safe

Ferrets and rats pose a grave risk to puffins and other seabirds who breed on Rathlin Island every year.

Northern Ireland