Independent candidate in Lagan Valley, Gary Hynds, says Assembly parties are failing the people by clinging to entrenched orange and green positions.
Speaking on the last day of the current Assembly, the former Conservative Party standard-bearer said: “it’s a real disappointment that the Assembly and the Executive are so chronically incapable of providing good local government for all our people.
“Parties are wedded to tribal politics and what I want is to see is a sea-change in approach where peoples’ needs are put first.
“My former party and the DUP have made a dreadful mess of the Protocol with little sign that the crisis will be over anytime soon.
“As well as the Protocol, which is continuing to do great damage to Northern Ireland’s position within the Union, we have a Health Service in meltdown, an education system that needs to be re-structured and an economy that cannot afford to attract Foreign Direct Investment.
“The fault for all of these ills lies with the parties in the Stormont playpen. They haven’t shown any maturity and are content to play green and orange politics to shore up tribal positions.
“The middle ground of tens of thousands of voters who don’t vote want something better where real politics delivers and where needless squabbling gives way to building a future for each and every citizen within the Union.”