Tony Abbott Loses Leadership Challenge To Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull is to be sworn in as Australia’s new prime minister after defeating Tony Abbott.

Abbott lost a challenge for the leadership of the Liberal Party to the senior partner in the ruling conservative coalition.

Al Jazeera reports: The former communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, is to become Australia’s 29th prime minister after defeating Abbott in a party room spill with 54 votes to 44.

Turnbull is expected to be sworn in as prime minister by Australia’s governor-general Peter Cosgrove on Tuesday.

Julie Bishop, the foreign minister, who had reportedly sided with Turnbull to call on Abbott to quit earlier in the day, has retained her position as deputy leader of the Liberal Party by 70 votes to 30.

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 on Monday said he informed Abbott he would challenge him for the leadership after losing confidence in his management of the economy.

“The prime minister has not been capable of providing the economic leadership our nation needs. He has not been capable of providing the economic confidence that business needs,” Turnbull told reporters in Canberra.