Edwin Poots battles to steer a 'deeply fractured' DUP

Edwin Poots was ratified as the new leader of the DUP on Thursday

Strap yourself in, this could get bumpy.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) rollercoaster is off and running with a new leader sitting up front.

In the cars behind, his loyal supporters and a few "critical friends".

Left behind, the rest of the party who didn't relish the ride.

Edwin Poots is no stranger to white-knuckle politics, but this is a test like no other.

Steering a deeply fractured party, with a new band of would-be disrupters in the wings, will be a challenge.

Much of his time will be spent looking over his shoulder at those plotting to derail his leadership.

After a night of political carnage, day one for the new DUP leader was spent dealing with the aftermath - fielding questions about the alleged dirty tricks in the leadership campaign.

• Allegations from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson of intimidation by the UDA against one of his team

• A smear campaign Nigel Dodds said was waged against his wife, Diane, and daughter

• Online abuse directed at Gavin Robinson's wife

• Leaks to the media against colleagues which Gregory Campbell said damaged the party

• Accusations of backstabbing against Arlene Foster, made by the former chairman of her constituency association who then quit the party

And it didn't end there.

Questions too for the new leader about his opposition to a secret ballot - what was he frightened of?

And did he feel snubbed when some of the party's biggest hitters including Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Nigel Dodds, Gregory Campbell, Gavin Robinson and Lord Hay left before his victory speech?

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was one of several DUP members who left before hearing Poots' victory speech

In response, Edwin Poots denied any link between his team and the allegations of intimidation.

He said they should be reported to the PSNI and we later learned police are already on the case.

While Edwin Poots didn't have the answers to all the questions, he does more importantly appear to have the numbers.

• Foster to resign if Poots changes ministerial team

• Edwin Poots: Who is the new leader of the DUP?

• DUP hangs out its dirty laundry in public

Team Poots has won all three votes - the electoral college and two at the executive gathering.

Though executive members were denied a secret ballot by just nine votes, the result suggests team Poots may have just scraped home again.

But we will never know for sure.

The hands-up endorsement was more clear cut but maybe more challenging for those reluctant Poots supporters who were feeling the gaze of others in the hall.

Political crisis

The next piece of unfinished business should fall into place this week, or so we've been told.

But Arlene Foster's decision to quit as first minister once her successor is announced may pause the process.

The nature of their joint office means when the first minister quits, the deputy first minister is also removed.

Sinn Féin and DUP then have seven days to agree each other's nominations to the roles.

Arlene Foster said she will resign as NI first minister early if Edwin Poots changes the ministerial team

Failure to do so would then require the Northern Ireland secretary to call an election within a "reasonable" time period.

Rest assured, Sinn Féin would use those seven days to seek cast iron commitments from the new DUP leader over Irish language legislation and other pledges in the New Decade, New Approach deal.

The party will ask for a timetable for implementation.

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald is already seeking a meeting with the other party leaders.

Hardline leadership

There is no appetite among the parties to trigger a political crisis but history shows we could easily fall into one.

That is why Edwin Poots may take some time to consider his strategy.

He has committed to implementing the New Decade, New Approach deal - but when? That is the question he will be under pressure to answer.

Those within his ranks expecting a more hardline leadership, now the party is in election mode, will be watching closely.

Edwin Poots can forget about a honeymoon period, instead he's facing battles on a number of fronts.

Get braced for another week of political ups and downs.