Australia has a new Prime Minister after a bitter war
(Baonghean.vn) - Finance Minister Scott Morrison will become Australia's new Prime Minister after winning a three-way battle to take over the leadership of the Liberal Party on August 24, when incumbent Malcolm Turnbull did not oppose the party's vote.
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| Mr. Scott Morrison attended the Liberal Party meeting on the morning of August 24. Photo: Reuters |
According to Reuters, this result paves the way for three candidates to participate in the Liberal Party leadership vote, including: former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who narrowly lost the vote to "overthrow" Mr. Turnbull on August 21, Mr. Morrison and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
The Liberal Party is the senior partner in the governing conservative coalition that is expected to face an election in May 2019. The Liberal-National government has consistently lost referendums to the opposition Labor Party.
Scott Morrison will become Australia's 30th prime minister, the country's sixth in less than 10 years, ending a bitter political battle that has damaged the conservative government ahead of an election scheduled for May 2019, The West Australian reported.
Under intense pressure to hold a second vote, Turnbull called a party meeting today after receiving a letter signed by a majority of party members demanding a change of leadership.
Before the vote, Turnbull said if he lost his premiership, he would resign from Parliament, leaving the new government facing a vote to replace him in his Sydney seat, and potentially losing its majority by more than one seat. Turnbull also said on August 23 that he believed former prime ministers should leave Parliament.
Australian media also reported that Foreign Minister Bishop, after failing in the party leadership vote, may also withdraw from politics.
Turnbull is Australia's 29th prime minister, taking over from Tony Abbott in September 2015. Turnbull's departure means that Australia has not had a prime minister serve a full term since John Howard.
