Alliance leader Naomi Long is making a return to the Stormont Assembly.
Ms Long served as an MLA for East Belfast until last May when she stepped aside after winning one of Northern Ireland’s three seats in the European Parliament.
Her term as an MEP is expected to come to an end on January 31 when the United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the European Union.
In a statement, the Electoral Office said she would be returned to serve as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Belfast East constituency with effect from 00.01 on January 9 2020.
A party source indicated to the PA news agency that Ms Long would not take an MLA salary or expenses until her term as an MEP had ended.
Ms Long replaces Maire Hendron, who was co-opted to fill the seat after the Alliance leader became an MEP.
One of Northern Ireland’s other two MEPs, the Democratic Unionist Party’s Diane Dodds, has been selected to replace former Upper Bann MLA Carla Lockhart.
Ms Lockhart stood down when she was elected as an MP last month.
