In the province of Alberta, the political landscape is currently dominated by the United Conservative Party (UCP), which holds the reins of government. The New Democratic Party (NDP), under the leadership of Naheed Nenshi, serves as the official opposition. Nenshi, formerly the mayor of Calgary, assumed leadership of the Alberta NDP in June 2024 and was acclaimed as the party’s candidate for the Edmonton-Strathcona riding in January 2025. This seat was previously held by Rachel Notley, who stepped down in December 2024. A byelection for this seat is anticipated by the end of June 2025. 

The Alberta NDP has historically found its support base in urban centers, particularly Edmonton and Calgary. In the 2023 provincial election, the NDP secured 38 seats, making significant inroads in Calgary and maintaining a strong presence in Edmonton. However, their representation in rural areas remains limited. Nenshi has acknowledged this and emphasized the need for the party to increase its visibility and engagement in smaller cities and rural communities, such as Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, and Fort McMurray. 

The Alberta Liberal Party, once a significant political force in the province, has seen a decline in recent years and currently holds no seats in the Legislative Assembly. Their influence in Alberta’s political arena has diminished, with the primary contest now between the UCP and the NDP.

In summary, Alberta’s Legislative Assembly is characterized by a UCP majority government and an NDP official opposition, with the latter striving to broaden its appeal beyond urban centers under Naheed Nenshi’s leadership.

Seat Breakdown by Party

As of May 2025 the United Conservative Party retains a majority of seats, the New Democratic Party forms the Official Opposition, and two seats are held by Independents .  The current tally is shown below:

By-elections and Resignations (2023–2025)

Lethbridge-West (Dec 2024): NDP’s Rob Miyashiro won the by-election to replace Shannon Phillips. The NDP held the seat .

Edmonton–Strathcona (Dec 2024): Former NDP leader Rachel Notley resigned at year-end 2024 . The seat is currently vacant pending a by-election.

Edmonton–Ellerslie (Mar 2025): NDP MLA Rod Loyola resigned in early 2025 . This seat is also vacant.

Airdrie–Cochrane (Apr 2025): UCP MLA Peter Guthrie was expelled from caucus and now sits as an Independent (seat formerly counted as UCP).

Lesser Slave Lake (Mar 2025): UCP MLA Scott Sinclair was ejected from caucus and now sits as an Independent .

These changes are reflected in the map and seat counts above.

Table: Current Party Representation († denotes source). The UCP has 47 seats, NDP 36, no Liberals, 2 Independents, and 2 vacant seats .