Western Australia's popular prime minister, Labour's Mark McGowan, surprisingly announced his retirement from politics, explaining that he was "exhausted" during a press conference announced with just 45 minutes notice.
"The truth is that I'm tired, extremely tired, in fact I'm exhausted," said the 55-year-old McGowan, who was elected by a large majority in 2017 to lead Australia's largest and most mineral-rich state. The politician had been re-elected for a second term in 2021, winning 52 of the 59 seats in the lower house, and had multiplied the consensus with his decision to completely close the borders of the state in the midst of the Covid pandemic drastically reducing infections. Stress, sleepless nights and political controversy have taken over, he told the media, adding that he no longer has "the energy or drive" to lead the party in the upcoming state elections in March 2025. McGowan will submit his resignation from office and Parliament by the end of the week. "I'll take a break for some time. Once I have rested and recovered, I will look for something to do," he added.
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