Northern Ireland's major Protestant party elects new leader to succeed Ian Paisley

Democratic Unionist deputy leader Peter Robinson was unanimously elected Monday to replace Ian Paisley atop the dominant Protestant party in Northern Ireland _ a victory that means he will become the next leader of the territory's power-sharing government with Catholics.

Robinson, 59, was expected to replace the 81-year-old Paisley by June both as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and as the senior minister atop Northern Ireland's fledgling coalition. No dates have been specified for either move.

The Democratic Unionists said all 36 of its lawmakers in the Northern Ireland Assembly voted to elect Robinson as leader and another senior party official, …