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Counting has resumed in the Northern Ireland Assembly election with Sinn Féin firmly on course to emerge as the largest Stormont party.
When counting was suspended on Friday night, just 47 of the 90 seats had been filled following a lengthy process, with only four out of 18 constituency counts completed.
Sinn Féin so far has 18 seats, while the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have 12, the Alliance Party eight, the Ulster Unionists (UUP) four and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) on three, with one seat going to Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister and one to independent unionist Alex Easton.
Live results hub: View all the latest results for every constituency here
Sinn Féin is on course to return the largest number of seats and to make history as Northern Ireland’s first nationalist first minister.
The party is expected to win the greatest number of seats in the Assembly, the first time a nationalist party would be the largest party since the creation of Northern Ireland more than 100 years ago.
Sinn Féin polled about 250,000 first-preference votes and increased its vote share by one to 29 per cent, compared with the DUP which took about 184,000 first preferences – a loss of almost seven per cent to take it to 21 per cent – in part due to an increase in the TUV vote.
However, the DUP has a cushion of up to half a quota in some constituencies, which will help it retain seats even though its vote share has dropped. It is hopeful of retaining 25, three down from the 28 it took in 2017.
Liveblog: Follow the latest updates from count centres here
The Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, said on Friday night she thought it would hold its 27 seats and potentially add up to two more.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms McDonald hailed the significance of her party’s victory, saying it was “not simply symbolic that we are, it now seems, on the cusp of a nationalist or a republican leading the Executive, being the first minister in the North.
“It’s significant because it’s a moment of equality. It says there’s no job that’s beyond anybody’s reach.”
She also said that as first minister Michelle O’Neill, the Sinn Féin deputy leader, would “lead for everybody” and would engage with unionists and “work together” to prepare for a reunified Ireland.
Friday’s other success story was the Alliance Party, which also increased its vote share and, according to party sources, is confident of gaining at least five and up to eight seats.
The SDLP and the UUP vote declined, with the UUP leader Doug Beattie under pressure to be re-elected in his constituency.
He told The Irish Times on Friday night he was facing a fight to cling on to his seat in Upper Bann and perhaps the party leadership.
“I’m willing to stay on as party leader but if the party decides against it, that is up to them,” he said.
The SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole, who was elected in south Belfast just before the count was suspended for the night, said it had been a “tough day for people in our party” and the move towards Sinn Féin and Alliance had “created a challenge for us”.
Sinn Féin’s Ms O’Neill was elected on the first count in Mid Ulster, with Alliance leader Ms Long topping the poll in East Belfast.
Ms O’Neill said Sinn Féin wanted to “together work in partnership with others” as it was “the only way we will achieve much, much more for people here, whether in terms of the cost-of-living crisis or trying to fix our health service”.
TUV leader Jim Allister retained his seat in North Antrim, but it is looking unlikely his party will win any further seats.

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson congratulates party colleague Pam Cameron on her election at the Ulster University count centre. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA


DUP leader Mr Donaldson was elected on the first count in Lagan Valley.
After his election he delivered a personal challenge to British prime minister Boris Johnson to address outstanding issues around the post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol, which unionists oppose because it imposes economic barriers between the North and Britain.
He said: “My message this evening is directed towards the prime minister, the secretary of state and the government at Westminster, they are co-guarantors of the [Belfast] Agreement and they have the opportunity to act to ensure that political stability is restored.
“I recognise that we have our differences, particularly in relation to the protocol, but I think we all accept that this is a problem that needs to be addressed and the sooner it is addressed the better for all of us.”
Functioning Assembly
The Government on Friday night urged the DUP to return to the Executive amid serious doubts over whether there will be a functioning Assembly after the election.
The then DUP first minister, Paul Givan, resigned in February as part of his party’s protest against the Northern Ireland protocol – which it opposed – which also removed Sinn Féin’s Ms O’Neill from her role as deputy first minister and severely restricted the powers of the Executive.
Mr Donaldson indicated on Friday there would be no swift resolution to the impasse. He told RTÉ News that unless the UK government takes action in regard to the Northern Ireland protocol – which is opposed by unionists – he would not nominate ministers to the Executive.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there was an “obligation on everybody elected to take their seats in the Assembly and to form an Executive”.
Mr Donaldson on Friday refused to say whether he will return to Stormont after he was elected as MLA for Lagan Valley following the first count.
He secured 12,626 votes and said one of the messages from the election was that a “divided unionism does not win votes”.
When asked if he will return to the Assembly, he said: “Let’s see what final outcome is. There is all to play for. The DUP is very much in the game at the moment. I have made it clear we need the government to take decisive action on the protocol. Words are not enough.” – Additional reporting PA