What is the DUP polling at in 2026?

The DUP polls at approximately 22% in Northern Ireland in 2026, placing it second behind Sinn Fein (28%) and ahead of Alliance (17%).

Who leads the DUP in 2026?

Gavin Robinson has led the DUP since 2024 following Jeffrey Donaldson resignation amid legal proceedings. Robinson is a long-serving MP who previously served as DUP leader in 2019.

What is the DUP position on the Windsor Framework?

The DUP opposed the Windsor Framework and collapsed Stormont for two years from February 2022. It returned to power-sharing in February 2024 after securing additional UK Government commitments, though significant internal divisions remain.

Why did the DUP collapse Stormont?

The DUP collapsed Stormont in February 2022 in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol, which they argued created a trade border in the Irish Sea, separating Northern Ireland from Great Britain. They returned in February 2024 after securing government commitments.

How many seats does the DUP have?

The DUP has 27 Stormont Assembly Members following the 2022 election and 5 Westminster MPs following the 2024 General Election, down from 8 in 2019.

How do the DUP and Sinn Fein work together in the Stormont Executive?

Under the Good Friday Agreement mandatory coalition rules, the DUP and Sinn Fein govern Northern Ireland jointly. The DUP holds the Deputy First Minister post, which carries identical powers to the Sinn Fein First Minister post. Despite deeply opposed constitutional positions, both parties have cooperated in the Executive on economic development, healthcare, education, and infrastructure since the return to power-sharing in February 2024. The mandatory coalition structure means neither party can govern alone, creating practical working incentives despite fundamental disagreement on Irish unity.

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DUP

Democratic Unionist Party

Leader: Gavin Robinson — Northern Ireland largest unionist party

22%

NI Polling (2026)

Stormont MLAs (2022)

Westminster MPs (2024 GE)

2nd

Position in NI polls

DUP Polling Trend 2017–2026

▼ No longer NI largest party

A decade of decline: The DUP was Northern Ireland largest party from 2007 to 2022, when Sinn Fein overtook it for the first time. The Stormont collapse over the Windsor Framework, the Donaldson resignation, and the Alliance surge have all contributed to the DUP reduced but still significant position at 22%.

Election / Event	DUP %	Seats	Key Context
2017 Stormont Assembly	28.1%	28 MLAs	DUP still largest party; Arlene Foster leads after RHI scandal triggers election
2017 General Election	36.0% (NI only)	10 MPs	Confidence and Supply agreement with Theresa May; DUP demands £1 billion NI investment
2019 General Election	30.6% (NI only)	8 MPs	Loses Confidence and Supply; Boris Johnson accepts Irish Sea border in Brexit deal
2022 Stormont Assembly	21.3%	25 MLAs	Sinn Fein overtakes DUP for first time; DUP refuses to form Executive over NI Protocol
Feb 2022 – Feb 2024	—	—	DUP collapses Stormont for two years over Windsor Framework / NI Protocol
Feb 2024	—	—	DUP returns to Stormont after UK Government Safeguarding the Union command paper
2024 General Election	23.5% (NI only)	5 MPs	Significant Westminster losses; Alliance takes 7 seats; Donaldson wins Lagan Valley
Apr 2024	—	—	Jeffrey Donaldson resigns and is arrested on sex offences charges; party in internal crisis
2025–2026 (NI polls)	22%	—	Gavin Robinson leads party; modest stabilisation after Donaldson crisis

The Stormont Collapse: Windsor Framework Timeline

Two years without government: The DUP refusal to participate in the Stormont Executive from February 2022 to February 2024 was the longest period of political crisis in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement.

Date	Event
Jan 2020	Boris Johnson Withdrawal Agreement includes NI Protocol; DUP initially accepts
June 2021	DUP collapses Executive for first time over Protocol; Edwin Poots elected leader briefly
July 2021	Jeffrey Donaldson takes over as DUP leader; Stormont is restored
Feb 2022	DUP collapses Stormont Assembly over NI Protocol; 2022 Assembly election called
May 2022	2022 Assembly election: Sinn Fein first for first time; DUP refuses to form Executive
Feb 2023	Rishi Sunak and EU announce Windsor Framework renegotiation; DUP still unsatisfied
Jan 2024	UK Government publishes Safeguarding the Union command paper with additional commitments
Feb 2024	DUP endorses return to power-sharing; Stormont Executive restored; Donaldson becomes Deputy First Minister
Apr 2024	Jeffrey Donaldson resigns as DUP leader and MP; arrested on historic sex offences charges
2024–2026	Gavin Robinson leads party; Executive continues to function

Jeffrey Donaldson Era: Rise and Collapse

Donaldson as Leader (2021–2024)

Jeffrey Donaldson won the DUP leadership in June 2021 after Edwin Poots resigned after just 21 days. He led the party through the two-year Stormont boycott over the Windsor Framework and oversaw the return to Stormont in February 2024. He briefly served as Deputy First Minister alongside Sinn Fein Michelle O Neill as First Minister — a historic moment in NI politics.

The Resignation and Legal Crisis (April 2024)

In April 2024, Jeffrey Donaldson abruptly resigned as DUP leader and MP for Lagan Valley. He was subsequently arrested on historic sex offences charges. The resignation shocked Northern Ireland politics and came just weeks after the restored Executive had begun functioning. Gavin Robinson returned as leader to manage the fallout.

DUP Leadership History

Leader	Period	Key Events
Ian Paisley	1971–2008	Founded DUP; initially opposed GFA; led power-sharing with Sinn Fein from 2007
Peter Robinson	2008–2015	Led party through economic crisis; lost East Belfast to Naomi Long in 2010
Arlene Foster	2015–2021	RHI scandal triggered 2017 election; Confidence and Supply with May; Brexit years
Edwin Poots	May–Jun 2021	Resigned after 21 days following internal revolt
Jeffrey Donaldson	2021–2024	Stormont collapse; Windsor Framework; resigned and arrested Apr 2024
Gavin Robinson	2024–present	Stabilising party post-Donaldson; continuing in Executive

DUP Key Policy Positions

Unionist and Loyalist

The DUP is firmly committed to Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom. It opposes a border poll on Irish unity and argues that current polling does not meet the threshold for a referendum.

Windsor Framework

The DUP accepts the Framework only with additional UK Government commitments. It continues to push for changes to reduce trade friction between NI and GB and objects to any regulatory divergence that treats NI differently from the rest of the UK.

Social Conservatism

The DUP holds consistently socially conservative positions. It opposed same-sex marriage (introduced to NI by Westminster in 2020 over the DUP objection), opposes extended abortion rights, and maintains strong links to evangelical Protestant churches.

Economy and Fiscal Policy

Supports NI-specific economic investment and opposes austerity measures that disproportionately affect Northern Ireland. Advocates for lower corporation tax in NI to attract foreign investment through the dual-market advantage.

NI Identity

Promotes a distinct Northern Irish British identity. Opposed to the erosion of British symbols and opposed cultural policies that appear to prioritise Irish identity at the expense of British identity.

Security and Legacy

Opposed the Northern Ireland Troubles legacy legislation (the Legacy Act 2023), which granted conditional immunity for Troubles-era offences. The DUP argued it failed victims and did not achieve genuine accountability for IRA violence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the DUP take its seats at Westminster?

Yes. Unlike Sinn Féin, DUP MPs take their seats in the House of Commons, vote on legislation, and participate fully in Westminster politics. The DUP held significant leverage in 2017–2019 when it provided Theresa May’s Confidence and Supply majority, worth £1 billion in additional NI investment.

What happened to the DUP and Conservative Party relationship?

The DUP had a Confidence and Supply arrangement with Theresa May from 2017 to 2019, but this collapsed when Boris Johnson accepted the NI Protocol. The DUP campaigned against the Johnson deal. Relations with subsequent Conservative governments remained difficult over the Windsor Framework period, with the DUP only returning to Stormont in February 2024 after securing additional commitments.

Can the DUP become Northern Ireland’s largest party again?

It is mathematically possible but would require Sinn Féin to fall significantly from its current 28% and the DUP to grow from 22%. The structural trend of growing Alliance support, a younger electorate less aligned with traditional unionism, and Sinn Féin’s strong organisation make this difficult in the medium term.

What is the d’Hondt system and how does it affect the DUP?

The d’Hondt system allocates Executive ministerial posts proportionally among the largest parties. As the second largest NI party, the DUP holds the Deputy First Minister post alongside Sinn Féin’s First Minister. Both posts are co-equal under the Good Friday Agreement — meaning neither is more senior than the other.

What is the DUP’s position on a united Ireland border poll?

The DUP firmly opposes holding a border poll on Irish unity, arguing that current polling does not meet the threshold required by the Good Friday Agreement for the Secretary of State to call one. A majority of NI residents must appear likely to favour unification before a referendum can be called under the GFA. DUP polling regularly shows a clear majority for remaining in the UK, even as the unionist vote is divided across DUP, UUP, and TUV.

What is the DUP’s future given the Alliance Party surge?

The Alliance Party is the DUP’s most significant long-term structural threat. Alliance has grown from 8% in 2017 to 17% in 2026, winning 7 Westminster MPs in 2024 — more than the DUP’s 5. Alliance attracts cross-community voters who prioritise economic issues, climate, and social moderation over the constitutional question. This squeezes the DUP from below as a new generation of NI voters declines to define themselves by the unionist-nationalist binary. The DUP’s ability to maintain 22% depends on the continued salience of the constitutional question and its ability to hold the unionist vote against the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) on its left and the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) on its right.

Video: Further Analysis

Video: The state of all UK political parties in 2026 — from Reform UK's surge to Labour's collapse, with context on where each party stands ahead of 2029.