Belfast Central (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

Belfast Central was a constituency used to elect members to the Northern Ireland House of Commons from 1921 to 1929. It was one of the four multi-member constituencies comprising the parliamentary borough of Belfast. The others were Belfast East, Belfast North, and Belfast South. Belfast Central was created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 and abolished in 1929 under the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1929, which replaced multi-member constituencies with single-member constituencies.

The constituency elected four members of Parliament, using proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. This electoral system allowed for representation of minority viewpoints and parties within the constituency.

Geographically, Belfast Central covered a central portion of the city of Belfast. The specific boundaries would have been defined by the relevant legislation at the time. Historical maps and electoral records provide more detailed information on the constituency's exact geographic extent.

Prominent politicians elected for Belfast Central included figures from various political traditions, reflecting the diverse population within its boundaries. Due to the electoral system, it was possible for unionist, nationalist, and labour representatives to gain seats.

The replacement of Belfast Central with single-member constituencies in 1929 significantly altered the political landscape of Belfast and Northern Ireland, impacting representation for different political viewpoints. The single-member system generally favoured larger parties and reduced the opportunities for smaller parties and minority viewpoints to be elected.