He was succeeded by the current Lord Mayor David Alderdice, the brother of the former Alliance Party leader and current presiding officer of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Lord Alderdice.

BBC: News | UK Politics | Rival NI parties to share top jobs

Peter Robinson, the scandal-hit first minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionists, lost his East Belfast seat to the nonsectarian Alliance Party.

ECONOMIST: Election results

Last September, the Alliance Party voted in support of legislation to allow gay civil marriage in Northern Ireland.

BBC: Ford compares gay marriage debate to civil rights campaign