2—(1) Standing orders must make provision for the formation of an Opposition in accordance with this section.
(2) The Opposition may be formed by one or more qualifying parties.
(3) In this Act “qualifying party” means a political party which does not have a member who is a Minister, but which was entitled to nominate a person to Ministerial office under section 18(2) to (6) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, at the time when those nominations were made; or whose members comprise 8% or more of the total number of members of the Assembly, and which does not contain a member who is a Minister.