John Hume's resignation after 22 years as leader of the SDLP took few people by surprise. He has had recurrent health problems that led to his hospitalisation on a number of occasions in recent years. Within the party, the immediate interest lay in who would be best suited to prepare the party for the next contest with Sinn Fein for command of Northern Ireland's nationalist vote.
In the June general election, Sinn Fein's vote surpassed the SDLP's for the first time. It now holds 21.7 per cent, compared with the SDLP's 20.9 per cent.
Despite this, the SDLP has shown gains in its core vote over the past decade. The fight between the two parties at the next election will be tough as Sinn Fein attempts to pull away from its rival. If the party loses badly to Sinn Fein, it could begin to tumble into irrelevance.
Immediately after Mr Hume's resignation announcement on Monday, many party members felt Mr Seamus Mallon, the North's Deputy First Minister, could have accepted the leadership role at least in a caretaker capacity. He has rejected that proposition.
Mr Mallon had the support of the SDLP membership in Down and Armagh, covering his own constituency of Newry and Armagh, and that of his neighbouring SDLP MP, Mr Eddie McGrady. In effect Mr Mallon had a guarantee of support from almost 40 per cent of the SDLP.
He is also highly popular among the strongest Belfast SDLP group, based in the South Belfast parliamentary constituency and led by Dr Alasdair McDonnell, said in the party to be a Mallon supporter.
The clear support for Mr Mallon as successor to Mr Hume was reflected in the findings of a BBC poll of 1,200 people, carried out before the party leader announced his resignation. Of the 255 people who said they were SDLP voters, some 41.6 per cent preferred Mr Mallon as the next leader.
Mr Mark Durkan, the Stormont Minister for Finance and now the clear leading candidate, polled only 24.3 per cent of support from SDLP supporters.
Some 11.8 per cent of the party's supporters voted for the Agriculture minister, Ms Brid Rodgers. Ms Rodgers (66) received considerable praise for her handling of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Northern Ireland.
However, her defeat in West Tyrone by Sinn Fein's Mr Pat Doherty was a serious set back for her chances.
Mr Alban Maginness, a north Belfast MLA, and South Down MP Mr Eddie McGrady both polled 7.8 per cent in the survey.
Mr Alex Attwood, the party chairman and policing spokesman scored 5.1 per cent.
Party sources pointed out the most pressing problem facing the SDLP in recent years has been its inability to attract new nationalist voters. This sector has been targeted successfully by Sinn Fein.
An internal document revealing the extent of the SDLP's failure to garner support among young voters was leaked last year, to the great embarrassment of the party. A survey carried out for the purpose of the report showed the overwhelming public feeling was the SDLP's front row was too old.
The feeling among SDLP members is that if it wishes to fight back against Sinn Fein's electoral gains, it will need a new generation leader, especially in time to prepare for the next big electoral battle with Sinn Fein.
Mr Durkan, at 41, is now the leading candidate for leader. He has been the key background organiser in the SDLP since joining the party as a full-time worker in Mr Hume's Derry constituency office.
After university, Mr Durkan trained with the Kennedy electoral machine in Boston and Washington and brought back new organisational and electoral skills.
In the aftermath of the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, Mr Durkan's organisational skills helped the party to its most successful polls ever. In 1986 and 1987 they won seats previously held by unionist candidates for Mr Mallon (in Newry and Armagh) and Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down).
Mr Durkan's immediate difficulty, if chosen, is he is not a Westminster MP. If, as seems increasingly certain, Northern Secretary Dr John Reid suspends the Assembly this weekend, the focus of political attention will switch to Westminster.
It is thought possible that if Mr Durkan is selected as party leader at the November 8th annual conference, Mr Hume might resign his Westminster seat in an attempt to have Mr Durkan elected.
The SDLP could then face a serious electoral challenge by one of Sinn Fein's most high profile and popular candidates, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin. Although, Mr Hume has continued to enjoy a strong majority in Foyle Mr McLaughlin's vote rose 2.7 per cent in the June Westminster election, Mr Hume's fell by 2.3 per cent.
On his own, Mr Durkan could face a major fight to hold his party leader's seat. However, if he has already assumed the leadership mantle and has the help of Mr Hume on the hustings, he could win.
Whatever happens on other fronts, it seems that power in the SDLP will remain in Mr Hume's home town.