BBC News NI looks at three names being tipped as possible successors to Arlene Foster.
The Democratic Unionist Party is beginning its search for a new leader after Arlene Foster announced her intention to step down.
Three men have emerged as favourites to replace her at the helm.
BBC News NI looks at the careers to date of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Edwin Poots and Gavin Robinson.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is the DUP’s Westminster leader and is currently the longest-serving MP from Northern Ireland.
Born in Kilkeel, the 58-year-old has said his decision to enter politics was influenced by the IRA murder of his cousin and RUC officer Samuel Donaldson in 1970.
He began work for MP Enoch Powell between 1982 and 1984 after joining the Ulster Unionist Party, later leading election campaigns for him in 1983 and 1986.
His own career in politics began with election to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1985, at the age of 22.
He is the youngest person to have been elected to a seat in Stormont. He was elected as an MP in 1997 for the Lagan Valley constituency.
He would continue with the UUP right through until 2004, but fault lines in the relationship with the party were exposed over the Good Friday Agreement peace deal.
At the time, Sir Jeffrey argued with then party leader David Trimble that there needed to be clear evidence of the IRA’s decommissioning of weapons and disagreed on the reformation of the police which would eventually see the RUC replaced by the PSNI.
He led a walkout from the 1998 peace talks which secured the agreement.
Sir Jeffrey continued to disagree with Lord Trimble, which eventually led to his leaving the party in 2003 and joining the DUP in 2004.
He was one of three UUP members to make the move – among that trio was Arlene Foster.
Sir Jeffrey has since served as an MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for the party and as an MP since 2010. He stepped down from his role as an MLA that year as part of the move away from politicians’ double-jobbing.
He was recognised by the Queen in her 2016 Birthday Honours and was given a knighthood.
Edwin Poots has been a member of the DUP for all of his political career and is currently the minister for agriculture, environment and rural affairs.
He became an MLA for the Lagan Valley constituency in 1998 and had previously served on Lisburn City Council.
He has served as minister for the environment, minister for arts, culture and leisure and as health minister over the course of his political career.
The 55-year-old courted controversy as health minister in 2011, when he maintained a ban on blood donation from gay men that had been lifted in England, Scotland and Wales.
He did so claiming it was on the grounds of public safety, but a High Court ruling later found the ban was “irrational”.
He has previously argued against LGBT couples being allowed to adopt children, as well as criticising the Westminster government for “an act of destruction” on devolution for imposing abortion access legislation in Northern Ireland.
The minister revealed in January of this year that he had been diagnosed with cancer after a growth was found on his kidney and temporarily stood down in February in order to receive treatment, before returning to his post in March.
Also in February, Mr Poots faced criticism for withdrawing staff carrying out Brexit checks from Larne port, citing fears for their safety due to reported paramilitary activity linked to opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The PNSI later said they found evidence of credible threats. Mr Poots has said those who implemented the protocol should apologise to the people of Northern Ireland.
Gavin Robinson has been the MP for East Belfast since 2015.
The 36-year-old won a closely-contested election in the constituency, taking back the seat for the DUP from Alliance Party leader Naomi Long.
Mr Robinson has also practised as a barrister. His entry into politics came with election to Belfast City Council in 2010, replacing East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson.
He was returned to the council in 2011 and went on to become Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2012.
He also served as a special adviser to then First Minister Peter Robinson until 2015, when he resigned from that post to stand for election as an MP.
Mr Robinson recently met with the Loyalist Communities Council to discuss opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol, attending the meeting with party leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds.