An election for the leadership of the
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) was held on 8 April 2017 at the party's Annual General Meeting.[1] Elections are held each year, with the incumbent usually reelected unopposed. The 2017 contested election was triggered after incumbent Leader
Mike Nesbitt,
elected in 2012, announced following the
2017 Assembly election his intention to step down as party leader.[2] While initially,
Robin Swann and
Steve Aiken were expected to run against each other (with candidacies by
Doug Beattie,
Robbie Butler and
Roy Beggs Jr. also considered possible),[1] in the end only Swann ran and was elected unopposed.[3]
An election for the leadership of the
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) was held on 8 April 2017 at the party's Annual General Meeting.[1] Elections are held each year, with the incumbent usually reelected unopposed. The 2017 contested election was triggered after incumbent Leader
Mike Nesbitt,
elected in 2012, announced following the
2017 Assembly election his intention to step down as party leader.[2] While initially,
Robin Swann and
Steve Aiken were expected to run against each other (with candidacies by
Doug Beattie,
Robbie Butler and
Roy Beggs Jr. also considered possible),[1] in the end only Swann ran and was elected unopposed.[3]