Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists consolidated their grip on power in Northern Ireland as the Assembly election count continued last night.
Sinn Féin's share of the vote decreased by a fraction of a percentage, but the party was set to gain a seat overall, having won three in Fermanagh-South Tyrone.
The DUP increased its vote by just under 1%, and was set to increase its seat tally from 36 to 38. It won three seats in North Down, where it had no MLAs 10 years ago, and made a gain in Lagan Valley, where no nationalists were elected.
Despite a low turnout, the two biggest parties succeeded in getting out their core vote and managing it to take advantage of proportional representation.
DUP members credited their strong showing to the leadership of Peter Robinson, who comfortably held his own seat in East Belfast after last year's Westminster setback.
Arlene Foster said the party had put in a "tremendous performance" and it was a "real validation" of Robinson's leadership.
"People had written us off in January last year, but he has come back stronger than ever," she said. "People thought we had reached the high-water mark in 2007 but look where we are now."
Jeffrey Donaldson described Robinson's achievement as surpassing the electoral performance of the Reverend Ian Paisley. He said: "To think what he has come through in the last 18 months, and lead the party to its greatest ever election victory, is a tremendous testament to his determination and energy and his strategic grasp of Northern Ireland politics."
The UUP and SDLP were fighting for fifth and sixth seats in many constituencies, but both were set to lose ground.
Tom Elliot's party was disappointed to lose Fred Cobain, their chief whip, in North Belfast. Elliott has said he will examine internal structures.
"Obviously there are issues around how candidates are selected and how internal officers are appointed," he said.
In a reference to the Irish tricolour at the end of the count in Fermanagh-South Tyrone, Elliott said: "I see many people with flags here, many of them flags of a foreign nation." When he was heckled by some in the crowd, Elliot said he would expect nothing better from "the scum of Sinn Féin".
The Alliance made a gain in East Belfast, and the party's Anna Lo topped the poll in South Belfast. Traditional Unionist Voice was set to win just one seat, that of leader Jim Allister in North Antrim. The SDLP suffered a severe setback in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, where it lost its only seat, Tommy Gallagher's.
Patsy McGlone, the SDLP deputy leader, said its overall performance was disappointing and it would have to study its future. "This review has to be about clarity of message and especially our organisation. Those with good organisation performed well getting the vote out. Others simply did not deliver."
It took a long time for the electoral picture to come into focus because of what Willie Hay, the Speaker at Stormont, described as the "disgraceful" organisation of the count.
In Omagh Leisure Centre, sodden ballot papers that had been exposed to rain in transit from the polling booths had to be separated by hand and dried with a hair dryer.
A computer system also froze and had to be reset in Omagh, after an incorrect password was used. At the count in Derry, a table collapsed and a batch of ballots fell on the floor with some being lost for a time.
Fewer people voted than in any previous Northern Ireland election, with a turnout of 55.5% overall.
Northern Ireland voted no in the Alternative Vote referendum, with 372,706 against and 289,088 in favour."
