The Democratic Unionist Party will elect a new leader next week, it emerged tonight.
A successor to the Rev Ian Paisley will be chosen in a two-phase process.
Members of the DUP Assembly Group will vote for the new leader first at their weekly meeting at Stormont on Monday.
Their recommendation for leader will then have to be ratified at a meeting of the party's executive on Thursday next week.
Finance Minister and party deputy leader Peter Robinson is the runaway favourite to become the leader, with party sources believing he will be unopposed.
He has been a key party strategist and has said he is confident devolved government will continue despite unease within his party after electoral pressure from dissident unionist Jim Allister.
The party added: "The party is respectful that Dr Paisley is the leader, therefore the positions will retain designate status.
"The decisions taken by the Assembly group and the Executive will not become active until Dr Paisley stands down as DUP leader."
Mr Robinson's rise to power follows the controversial resignation as Junior Minister at the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister of Mr Paisley's son Ian Paisley Jnr.
He was appointed to the Policing Board oversight group despite his links to Co Antrim developer Seymour Sweeney and alleged lobbying.