Arlene Foster announces resignation as DUP leader and NI first minister
Mrs Foster said she is going to stand down as party leader on May 28 and as First Minister at the top of June.
The announcement comes 24 hours after an sizeable internal heave against her by DUP politicians unhappy together with her leadership.
The 50-year-old Fermanagh and South Tyrone representative indicated her resignation will mark the top of her political career, as she said she was preparing to “depart the political stage”.
“A short time ago I called the Party Chairman (Lord Morrow) to tell him that I shall step down as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party on the 28th of May and as First Minister of Northern Ireland at the top of June,” she said.
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“It is vital to offer space over subsequent few weeks for the Party Officers to form arrangements for the election of a replacement leader. When elected i will be able to work with the new leader on transition arrangements.
“As First Minister it's important that I complete work on variety of important issues for Northern Ireland alongside other Executive colleagues.
“Northern Ireland and its people are heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and there remains more work to be done to steer us thorough the pandemic and to reduce its impact on the lives of everyone.”
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It is understood there's majority support among the party's Stormont and Westminster ranks - about 80% - for a change in leadership.
It is believed 22 of the DUP's 27 MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) and 4 MPs signed a letter of no confidence in Mrs Foster and therefore the party leadership.
Only alittle number of the DUP membership - MLAs and MPs - will get to choose a leadership contest.
How did we get here?
Mrs Foster was elected because the first female leader of the DUP in December 2015, taking up from Peter Robinson. She was the sole candidate.
Her time at the helm has been seen many challenges, having faced Brexit, a botched green energy scandal which subsequently led to the collapse of Stormont for 3 years and Covid-19.
The aftermath of Brexit has also caused friction both internally and between the party and a few of its core voters who are unhappy at the deal which led to Irish Sea border.
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