Australia is to have a new prime minister after Malcolm Turnbull ousted PM Tony Abbot as leader of the Liberal Party.
The former communications minister received 54 votes to defeated PM Abbot 44 votes at the leadership ballot held at a meeting of liberal MPs late on Monday. However, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop retained her position as deputy leader of the party securing 70 votes ahead of Kevin Andrews 30.
The prime minister-designate is expected to be sworn in by Australia’s governor-general Peter Cosgrove after PM Abbott writes to Australia’s governor general and resigns.
In the current parliament, whoever leads the Liberal Party becomes prime minister as head of the conservative coalition in which it is the senior partner.
Turnbull has served as Minister of communications under Mr Abbott before resigning to challenge for party leadership. He led the liberal Party in opposition from 2008-2009 till he lost a leadership challenge to Mr Abbot by one vote. He has worked as a successful lawyer and businessman before joining politics.
The party new leader says Australia needed to have “the economic vision, a leadership, that explains the great challenges and opportunities we face”. He has promised to lead “a thoroughly Liberal government, committed to freedom, the individual and the market”.
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