Scott Morrison Becomes Australia’s 30th Prime Minister
- Centrists withstand challenge from right-wing populist Dutton
- Ruling Liberal party behind in polls as election approaches
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Treasurer Scott Morrison will become Australia’s sixth prime minister in 11 years after Malcolm Turnbull lost control of the ruling Liberal party, a shakeup aimed at boosting the government’s flagging poll numbers ahead of an election due by May.
Morrison won 45 votes to 40 over right-wing populist Peter Dutton in a closed-door meeting of Liberal lawmakers, party whip Nola Marino told reporters on Friday. In comments after the vote, Turnbull denounced a “determined insurgency” to remove him as prime minister.