▁elected ▁by ▁a ▁qualified ▁majority ▁vote . ▁Through out ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁Alliance ' s ▁vote ▁across ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁stabil ised ▁at ▁between ▁ 6 % ▁and ▁ 8 %. ▁ ▁Ald erd ice ▁once ▁again ▁cont ested ▁B elf ast ▁East ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁general ▁election . ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁Alliance ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁the ▁Forum ▁for ▁Peace ▁and ▁Re con c ili ation ▁at ▁Dublin ▁Castle ▁and ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁multip art y ▁tal ks , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Forum . ▁ ▁Ald erd ice ▁was ▁willing ▁to ▁talk ▁with ▁S inn ▁F é in , ▁after ▁the ▁I RA ▁called ▁a ▁ce ase fire ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁when ▁others ▁in ▁the ▁union ist ▁community ▁regarded ▁such ▁discuss ions ▁as ▁un accept able . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Assembly ▁for ▁B elf ast ▁East ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁assembly ' s ▁first ▁speaker , ▁serving ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁Mo ▁M ow lam ▁said ▁that ▁Ald erd ice ' s ▁" polit ical ▁and ▁parliament ary ▁experience ▁mean ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁well ▁su ited ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁this ▁role ". ▁Ald erd ice ▁was ▁a ▁B elf ast ▁City ▁coun c ill or ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁He ▁res igned ▁as ▁party ▁leader