A leadership election was held for the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) of Northern Ireland on 5 October 2024, following the resignation of Colum Eastwood on 29 August 2024 to focus on his role in the party's New Ireland Commission and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Foyle.

[5] The party lost four seats in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, losing ground to Sinn Féin.

They held their two seats at the 2024 United Kingdom general election, but their performance was seen as disappointing.

[7][8] Eastwood will formally resign at the party's conference on 5 October 2024 to allow a new leader to be elected.

Nominations for the leadership opened on 30 August with only Member of Parliament (MP) for Belfast South and Mid Down Claire Hanna and the party's eight Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) eligible to put their names forward over the following seven days.