GREEN Party leader Clare Bailey has said she is "taking the action needed to reject Brexit" by standing aside to back the SDLP's Claire Hanna in the Westminster election.
Ms Bailey said she has "listened to the people of South Belfast" by her party deciding not to run a candidate in the constituency.
The move puts further pressure on DUP incumbent Emma Little-Pengelly following Sinn Féin's decision to also stand aside in same constituency.
"These are extraordinary times that demand an extraordinary response," Ms Bailey said.
"Almost 70 per cent of the people of South Belfast voted to remain in the EU and it is vital that a pro-Remain MP is returned.
"This is a first-past-the-post election and Claire Hanna is best placed to take the South Belfast seat from the incumbent pro-Brexit MP based on previous results."
Ms Little-Pengelly won South Belfast at the 2017 general election, polling 13,299 votes, ahead of nearest rival Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP on 11,303.
She is likely to come under pressure if many of the around 7,000 Sinn Féin votes and 2,000 Green Party votes at the 2017 poll are lent to Ms Hanna.
However, Ms Hanna could face competition from Alliance's Paula Bradshaw, who came third in 2017 with 7,946 votes.
Ms Hanna yesterday welcomed the Green Party announcement.
She posted on Twitter: "Genuinely thrilled to have backing of the Green Party in this election. I and so many others greatly admire Clare Bailey and her team for their practical, planet-centred and post-sectarian politics.
"This election is about Brexit and we're fighting hard to be South Belfast's Remain voice."
Ms Bailey said she and Ms Hanna had "worked well together across a range of issues as South Belfast MLAs and Claire shares my strong pro-Remain credentials".
"I believe that Claire Hanna is well-versed on the threats posed by Brexit and can use her Westminster relationships to make an early and positive impact," she said.
"I've listened to the people of South Belfast and I'm taking the action needed to reject Brexit and Tory austerity."
The Green Party move is the latest in a series of announcements by parties lending support to rivals.
On Monday, Sinn Féin said it will not contest South Belfast, East Belfast and North Down in order to back other pro-Remain candidates.
The SDLP said it will not run candidates in North Belfast, East Belfast or North Down, and asked its supporters to vote for other pro-Remain candidates in the December 12 poll.
Meanwhile, unionists are also preparing to stand aside to support rivals.
DUP leader Arlene Foster announced that her party would not run in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and would instead back former Ulster Unionist MP Tom Elliott in a bid to unseat Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew.
Mr Elliott has declined to say whether he intends to run.
Incoming UUP leader Steve Aiken had previously indicated that his party would stand in all 18 constituencies in the north.
But in a U-turn over the weekend. he announced that the UUP will not field a candidate in North Belfast, where DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds is expected to come under pressure from Sinn Féin candidate John Finucane.