David Gray/Reuters
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was ousted and replaced by his own treasurer Friday after days of political chaos that ended in a turbulent leadership vote. Scott Morrison, an ally to Turnbull, will now succeed him and become the country’s sixth prime minister in the past 11 years. Turnbull, under mounting pressure in recent weeks amid dismal opinion polls, said his ouster was the result of a “determined insurgency” in a speech after the vote, which he reportedly opted not to contest. Turnbull had agreed to hold the vote, an internal ballot for his conservative Liberal Party, after a majority of lawmakers signed a letter calling for it. Morrison won the vote 45-50 over former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, one of the driving forces behind the leadership challenge to Turnbull. “Many Australians will be shaking their heads in disbelief,” Turnbull said in his speech, adding that he was pleased the “insurgents were not rewarded by electing Mr. Dutton.” Turnbull has reportedly said he will be leaving politics now that his successor has been found.