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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Brendan Hughes

Stormont parties spend big on social media adverts in last days of NI election campaign

Stormont parties have spent thousands of pounds on social media advertisements during the Assembly election campaign.

More than 200 targeted adverts have been posted on Facebook and Instagram from the official accounts of the five largest parties since late March.

In the past week alone the five parties shelled out almost £20,000 on advertising on their main social media profiles in a final pitch to persuade voters.

Read more: BBC NI election debate: Rating the Stormont leaders' performances in battle for votes

The DUP spent the most during the last seven days, posting more than £6,300 worth of ads on their main party accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

The SDLP had the second-highest spending in the past week with £4,432, followed by the Alliance Party with £4,374, Sinn Fein with £3,277 and the UUP's £1,398.

Alliance issued the most social media adverts on its main Facebook and Instagram accounts over the course of the six-week campaign, according to a Belfast Live analysis of the Meta ad library.

Since the end of the March, the party posted a total of 83 advertisements on their Alliance account on the social media platforms.

The SDLP posted the second-most adverts on its main accounts over the same period with 66, while the DUP was third with 42. The UUP issued 17 of the ads while Sinn Fein posted 15.

The figures are of social media advertisements about social issues, elections or politics issued from the parties' main accounts on Facebook and Instagram, but parties have also posted ads from other accounts for specific candidates and constituencies.

Many of the DUP's recent ads focus on warnings that Sinn Fein becoming the largest party would embolden its ambitions for a "divisive border poll".

One advertisement references recent newspaper reports that Sinn Fein approached Saoradh, a group accused of having links to the New IRA, about potential "co-operation" on achieving a border poll.

Sinn Fein has said it believes leaders should encourage others to follow a "peaceful and democratic" path as defined in the Good Friday Agreement.

Another advert includes a video of former DUP leader Arlene Foster encouraging people to vote for the party to stop Sinn Fein emerging as the largest party.

Sinn Fein's ads feature short videos of around 20 seconds and focus on the party securing the First Minister post for the first time if it wins the election.

"If you want a First Minister for all, come out on Thursday and vote Sinn Fein," the videos urge, describing it as a "historic moment".

While Sinn Fein had a lower number of ads on its main accounts, more than £600 was spent on posts on vice-president Michelle O'Neill's account in the last seven days.

Alliance Party ads feature slogans such as "choose delivery not division", urging voters to "strengthen Naomi's team". In some constituencies, the party adverts contend that "only Alliance can challenge the DUP".

Recent SDLP adverts highlight a poll suggesting the party is on course to increase its vote share, with bespoke messages for different constituencies urging voters to "put people first".

For the Ulster Unionists, one ad features a video clip of Health Minister Robin Swann encouraging voters to support the party to "rebuild our health service together".

Read more: BBC NI election debate: Rating the Stormont leaders' performances in battle for votes

Read more: Review of Stormont parties' Assembly election broadcasts

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