ARLENE FOSTER has been officially announced as Peter Robinson’s successor as DUP Party leader.
Although the Fermanagh woman was announced as last week as the only name in for the running, it was up to the DUP’s electoral council to ratify the nomination at a vote which took place this evening.
Members packed into the Park Avenue Hotel in Belfast to ratify Arlene Foster as the new leader. This was history in the making for the party as Mrs Foster is the first female leader of the unionist party.
Giving her first speech as party leader Arlene Foster focused on ‘building a stronger Northern Ireland’ and finished by thanking DUP members for electing her to the position.
Speaking to the Fermanagh Herald after her speech Mrs Foster said, “I am just over the moon. It feels quite strange to be called Leader to be honest.”