BBC News By Jayne McCormack Published Two political stalwarts - Edwin Poots and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson - are both vying to become the next leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). There has never before been a leadership contest in the DUP's 50-year history, with predecessors having been chosen by the party's top ranks. BBC News NI explains why the race is taking place and how it will work. Why is the party electing a new leader? The current leader Arlene Foster has been forced to stand down after a majority of DUP assembly members (MLAs) and MPs signed a letter of no confidence in her.