John Alderdice, Baron Alderdice

The Right Honourable The Lord Alderdice
Official portrait, 2023
President of Liberal International
In office 25 April 2005 – 20 April 2009
Preceded by	Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck
Succeeded by	Hans van Baalen
1st Presiding Officer of the Northern Ireland Assembly
In office 1 July 1998 – 29 February 2004
Monarch	Elizabeth II
First Minister	First Ministers (1998–2002) David Trimble Reg Empey (Acting) David Trimble Direct Rule First Ministers (2002–2004) John Reid Paul Murphy
Deputy	Sir John Gorman Donovan McClelland Jane Morrice Jim Wilson
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Eileen Bell
Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
In office 1987–1998
Deputy	Gordon Mawhinney Seamus Close
General Secretary	Eileen Bell David Ford
Preceded by	John Cushnahan
Succeeded by	Seán Neeson
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast East
In office 25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003
Preceded by	New Creation
Succeeded by	Naomi Long
Member of Belfast City Council
In office 17 May 1989 – 1997
Preceded by	Oliver Napier
Succeeded by	David Alderdice
Constituency	Victoria
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 November 1996 Life Peerage
Personal details
Born	(1955-03-28) 28 March 1955 (age 69) Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Political party	Liberal Democrats
Other political affiliations	Alliance
Spouse	Joan Hill
Children	3
Alma mater	Queen's University Belfast

John Thomas Alderdice, Baron Alderdice (born 28 March 1955^[1]) is a Northern Ireland politician. He was the Speaker and a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for East Belfast from 1998 to 2004 and 1998 to 2003, respectively. Alderdice was the leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland from 1987 to 1998, and since 1996 has sat in the House of Lords as a Liberal Democrat.^[1]