Speaking after the return of all six Alliance Assembly members, Party Leader David Ford said:
“This has been a nerve-racking election, but I am happy to have proved the doubters and detractors wrong. Today Alliance has held its own amidst the growing polarisation so evident. We will go into this review positively and continue the work we started when we pledged to build a united community here.
“Alliance will be the only party with a cross-community vision for a shared future in the next Assembly. We will fight our corner on issues that others ignore and ask the awkward questions that they dodge.
“We have achieved much, despite the squeeze. My own share of the vote actually went up. We now have the first female Assembly member from East Belfast, and now have the best gender balance of any party. We are now the only party that can provide constructive opposition to a future Executive, and are the only centre party in the Assembly.
“I am immensely proud of the team that I lead. While there is work to be done, news of Alliance’s demise has clearly been very much exaggerated.”