Treasurer Scott Morrison will be Australia’s new prime minister after winning a three-way battle for the leadership of the Liberal party on Friday.
Morrison defeated the key challenger Peter Dutton, a former cabinet minister, by a vote 45-40.
Dutton’s supporters had forced incumbent Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to hold the leadership ballot. Turnbull did not contest it and later confirmed his intention to quit politics.
“I’ll be leaving the parliament … not before too long,” he told reporters.
His resignation causes a by-election that could cost the government its single-seat majority.
Turnbull became the fourth prime minister to be dumped by his or her own party before serving a full three-year term since the revolving door to the prime minister’s office started in 2010.
The trend is universally hated by Australians.
He condemned Dutton supporters for bringing down his leadership in an intense and bruising campaign, which the prime minister described as “an insurgency” that went public on Tuesday.
“Many Australians will be shaking their head in disbelief at what’s been done,” Turnbull said.
