Edwin Poots has announced his resignation as the leader of the DUP.
It follows internal party dissent over his decision to nominate a Stormont First Minister.
A sizeable majority of MLAs and MPs voted against his decision to reconstitute the powersharing Executive with Sinn Fein in a bruising internal meeting just minutes before the process for nominating Stormont's leaders began in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
A meeting was held at DUP party headquarters on Thursday night.
In a statement following the meeting, Mr Poots said: “I have asked the Party Chairman to commence an electoral process within the Party to allow for a new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party to be elected.
"The Party has asked me to remain in post until my successor is elected.
"This has been a difficult period for the Party and the country and I have conveyed to the Chairman my determination to do everything I can to ensure both Unionism and Northern Ireland is able to move forward to a stronger place.”
Thursday's developments come after a power-sharing crisis in Northern Ireland was averted after a late-night deal over Irish language laws paved the way for Stormont leaders to be appointed.
