THE mainstream unionist parties have lost their control of local government in Belfast and the city is expected to get its first nationalist lord mayor next month. There is speculation that a combination of parties may elect Mr Alban Maginness of the SDLP.
Mr Steve McBride of the Alliance Party said: "We're going to hold the balance of power. Sinn Fein have a large vote but there's no question of anyone actually doing a deal with them as long as the threat of violence continues to hang over us."
The completion of the count yesterday in the Northern Ireland local elections showed an overall gain of 23 seats by Sinn Fein.
Unionists lost control of Fermanagh and two councils in Co Tyrone: Cookstown and Strabane. The UUP and DUP each lost 12 seats and the SDLP lost seven.
Northern Ireland's chief electoral officer, Mr Pat Bradley, said there appeared to have been an "orchestrated planned campaign" of malpractice. The SDLP and the UUP also alleged there had been widespread vote fraud.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, dismissed the allegations as "a whinge" and indicated that the party would be seeking its share of civic offices.