Rishi Sunak named new prime minister

The new British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was widely applauded by Conservative MPs on Monday, October 24. Visibly moved, he thanked his supporters, before a first statement to the press which was intended to be reassuring, while the United Kingdom is experiencing strong political and economic turmoil. “It is the greatest privilege of my life to serve the party I love, and to give back to the country to which I owe so much. We now need unity and stability. Bringing the party and the country together will be my highest priority“, he thus declared.

A few minutes earlier, unsurprisingly, he had been elected leader of the Conservative Party – and therefore Prime Minister. After the withdrawal of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had hoped to return, and the failure of Penny Mordaunt to collect the necessary sponsorships, Rishi Sunak’s victory had become clear. He therefore succeeds Liz Truss, ephemeral Prime Minister, who had nevertheless beaten him less than two months ago in the race for the head of the party.