WORLD
Kevin Rudd ousts Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Baku, June 27 (AZERTAC). Kevin Rudd has ousted Prime Minister Julia Gillard as leader of Australia's Labour Party.
He won by 57 votes to 45, in a leadership ballot of Labour lawmakers. The change comes ahead of a general election due in September, which polls suggest Labour is set to lose.
This is the latest twist in a long and bitter rivalry between the two politicians - but it could be the last as Ms Gillard has said she will now leave politics. "I will not re-contest the federal electorate... at the forthcoming election," said Ms Gillard, Australia's first female prime minister. "What I am absolutely confident of is it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that, and I'm proud of that," she added.
Wednesday's leadership vote makes Mr Rudd the leader of the Labour Party, but not yet prime minister.
Ms Gillard must first write to Governor General Quentin Bryce stating that she is resigning before Mr Rudd can be sworn in.
Despite their bitter rivalry, Mr Rudd praised his predecessor, describing her as a woman of extraordinary intelligence, with great strength and energy.
"Julia, as prime minister and prior to that as deputy prime minister, has achieved much under the difficult circumstances of a minority government," he told a news conference after his victory.
Mr Rudd is more popular with voters than Ms Gillard, and many believe Labour will perform better in the election under him.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Tony Abbott called on Mr Rudd to name an election date, arguing that it should be sooner than 14 September - the date set by Ms Gillard.
"The Australian people are yearning to make a choice. The Australian people are well and truly over this low and dishonourable parliament," he told a news conference.
Limiting losses?