The options: The Good Friday agreement's basic principle of cross-community support has been threatened by the emergence of the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin as Northern Ireland's largest two parties.
Under the deal, 50 per cent plus one of nationalist Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and 50 per cent plus one of their unionist colleagues must support the election of the first minister and deputy first minister.
Key decisions, other than the elections of the first and deputy first minister, can be taken if they are accepted by 60 per cent of the assembly, including at least 40 per cent of both nationalists and unionists.
In the current climate, however, the MLAs will not even be given the chance to voice their opinions as the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, is unlikely to call its first meeting.
The Democratic Unionist Party, with 30 seats, is entitled to fill the first minister's position, while Sinn Féin, as the largest nationalist party, should fill the deputy first minister post.
However, the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr Trimble, could, technically, exploit the DUP's refusal to create a power-sharing executive alongside Sinn Féin and be re-elected as first minister.
This would require some of the cross-community Alliance members to be prepared to label themselves as "Unionists", rather than as "Others" in the assembly.
Three Alliance MLAs and two Women's Coalition representatives changed colours temporarily in November 2001 to ensure Mr Trimble's re-election and that of the SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, as deputy first minister.
The decision by the Alliance, including the party's leader, Mr David Ford, and Ms Monica McWilliams and Ms Jane Morrice of the Women's Coalition, gave Mr Trimble victory by one, much to the DUP's fury. However, it provoked tensions within the Alliance and led Mr Ford to swear at his party conference he would never repeat it.
Now, however, the Women's Coalition is no longer in the assembly, while Mr Trimble's anti-agreement rump, led by Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, is at least five-strong, with the loyalty of others wavering.
"It might be interesting as a political theory, but it isn't going to happen. The minute the Alliance acted, the anti-Trimble UUP people would be gone out of the door," said one political source last night.
The parties could also decide to set up committees of MLAs to oversee the running of departments, rather as the North's councils currently operate.
Finally, the other parties, excluding Sinn Féin, could accept the DUP's "voluntary coalition" proposal, where parties would join without the strict division of ministerial responsibilities.
