New Progressive Unionist Party leader Dawn Purvis today replaced David Ervine as the East Belfast Assembly member.
Northern Ireland Chief Electoral Officer Douglas Bain confirmed that Ms Purvis, who was elected PUP leader on Monday night, will step into the role following Mr Ervine's sudden death at the age of 53 two weeks ago.
Mr Ervine was also the leader of the PUP, which has links to the Ulster Volunteer Force loyalist paramilitary group, when he died.
With the Assembly due to dissolve on January 30th, Ms Purvis, a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, will have the shortest tenure of any MLA at Stormont and will be defending the party's only Assembly seat at the next election.
Ms Purvis is the first woman leader of a loyalist and unionist party.
Under Northern Ireland Assembly rules, when an MLA dies or retires a substitute is chosen from a reserve list instead of a by-election.
The SDLP recently replaced Patricia Lewsely, who recently stood down to become the new Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner, with Marietta Farrell to be its new Lagan Valley Assembly member.
PA
