New MPs mean four new MLAs and a councillor

Sorcha Eastwood, Jim Allister, Alex Easton and Robin Swann all leave Stormont Assembly to take up their seats in Westminster

Stormont will have four new MLAs after Friday's general election results - without any by-elections.

Four out of Northern Ireland's seven new MPs will leave Stormont to take up their seats on the green benches at Westminster.

Sorcha Eastwood, Jim Allister, Alex Easton and Robin Swann are to be replaced at Stormont - for Lagan Valley, North Down and North Antrim - through a process known as co-option.

What is co-option?

The co-option system is used to fill vacancies at Stormont.

The process most commonly takes place after an election, resignation or death.

Stormont's elected politicians are allowed to run in Westminster elections when they are Assembly members.

But it's against the current rules to be both an Assembly member and a Member of Parliament at the same time.

Once seats become vacant, the co-option process can take place, as laid out in Section B of the Northern Ireland (Elections) (Amendment) Order 2009.

Step one is for the party of the MLA to nominate a replacement within seven days.

The Chief Electoral Officer will then write to the nominee asking them to confirm within seven days that they are willing and able to take up the post.

In the case of independents, it's up to them to choose their replacements.

Before his death, the late David McClarty chose Claire Sugden to replace him in the East Londonderry seat.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra, Alex Easton said he felt a weight of responsibility in choosing who to co-opt into his MLA seat.

He said: "The electorate matter a lot to me and its important that I try and get things right."

He admitted that there were plenty of "rumoured names", throughout the election period, but he hopes to "make an announcement at the end of the week."

Mr Easton said the decision hasn't been easy as "not everybody fancies being an MLA and all of the baggage that goes with that, it’s a big thing for people to undertake."

Mr Mallaghan has served as a councillor since 2011 and has been chairman of Mid Ulster District Council.

And then there are council co-opts.

One of the MPs elected on Friday was Sinn Féin's Mid Ulster District Councillor Cathal Mallaghan.

The co-option system also applies to council seats.

Mr Mallaghan's election as the MP for Mid Ulster in the Westminster election means the party will have to find a replacement for his council seat.

Notable past co-options

Perhaps the most high profile co-opt was deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly's co-option into the former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s Lagan Valley Stormont seat in May 2022.

The parties are yet to confirm who the new replacements will be.

Alliance have already said that former MP Stephen Farry will not take Sorcha Eastwood's Lagan Valley seat after he lost North Down to Alex Easton.