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Resignation of Liz Truss: who are her potential successors?

2022-10-20T14:37:09.722Z


Liz Truss resigned as premier after just 44 days in office. A successor must be elected by October 28.


Liz Truss, who succeeded Boris Johnson, lasted only 44 days at 10 Downing Street.

Entangled by a challenge from her party's MPs following the vote on a controversial "

mini-budget

", the British Prime Minister presented her resignation to King Charles III.

A successor could be appointed by October 28 through an internal ballot.

In theory, only deputies can be candidates, each candidacy must be supported by at least two deputies.

Then, all of the 170,000 members of the Conservative Party vote to eliminate candidates.

At the end of this ballot, only two candidates are in the running.

Finally, all members of the Conservative Party must vote to designate the future leader of the political party.

The succession of Boris Johnson had lasted two months.

Rishi Sunak, Member of the House of Commons

Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak.

AFP

Beaten by Liz Truss during the final phase of the process of appointing the leader of the Conservative Party this summer, the former finance minister was nevertheless the preferred candidate of the Conservative MPs.

The wealthy 42-year-old ex-banker has for him the fact of embodying the reassuring figure of budgetary orthodoxy.

During the campaign, he repeatedly argued that unfunded tax cuts risked pushing inflation to a decades-high level and undermining market confidence.

Read alsoRishi Sunak, a meteoric rise against a backdrop of crisis

The facts have proven him right, but he has a major handicap: many of Boris Johnson's faithful see him as a traitor whose resignation at the start of the summer precipitated the downfall of the former tenant of Downing Street.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer

Current Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt.

AFP

Minister of Finance since last Friday, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer has since seemed to be the one who held the reins of power, as Liz Truss was weakened.

It was he who announced on Monday the spectacular turnaround consisting in reversing almost all of the Truss government's tax measures, which created panic in the markets.

Read also Jeremy Hunt on Brexit: “Our choice is a close and special partnership with the EU”

This 55-year-old former Minister of Foreign Affairs, experienced but considered uncharismatic, however recently assured the BBC that after two failures, in 2019 and then this summer, he did not want to embark on a race for power.

Once again, he refused to be a candidate.

Penny Mordaunt, Minister for Relations with the House of Commons

Penny Mordaunt, Minister for Relations with the House of Commons.

AFP

She is also a candidate against Liz Truss to succeed Boris Johnson this summer, the minister responsible for relations with Parliament was the darling of Conservative activists at the start of the campaign.

Read alsoSuccession of Boris Johnson: the breakthrough of Penny Mordaunt among the tories

Charismatic, this 49-year-old former Minister of Defense distinguished herself in front of Parliament on Monday where she replaced Liz Truss in the face of the opposition, defending with confidence the change of economic course, and explaining that the Prime Minister "

is not hiding not under a desk

”.

The hypothesis of a Mordaunt-Sunak ticket has even recently emerged.

Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

AFP

This is a scenario that circulated in the conservative press this summer: like a phoenix, the former prime minister, "

BoJo

", would make a comeback, imposing himself as an obvious recourse.

On the strength of the electoral triumph at the end of 2019, which granted the Conservatives an unprecedented majority since Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, the hero of Brexit is nevertheless hampered by sizeable balls.

Read alsoThe real-false goodbyes of Boris Johnson

His departure forced by a succession of scandals, including that of the Downing Street parties in violation of anti-Covid restrictions, is not so far away and gives him some responsibility for the current debacle.

And, as he embraces a remunerative activity as a speaker around the world, it remains to be seen whether Johnson, 58, would be ready to resume control of the party two years before legislative elections where the polls promise a landslide victory for the Labor opposition.

Ben Wallace, Minister of Defense

Defense Minister Ben Wallace.

AFP

Among the favorites in the last campaign for the head of the Conservative Party, the Minister of Defense, who had chosen not to launch to devote himself to the security of the United Kingdom, saw his name reappear in recent days as a possible figure of unity for the party.

Ben Wallace, 52, however, seemed to rule out this scenario, assuring the

Times

on Tuesday that he wanted to stay at La Défense.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2022-10-20

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