Great chances are calculated for the British defense secretary as successor to Prime Minister Johnson. But contrary to expectations, Wallace does not apply for the Tory party leadership. Ex-Equal Opportunities Minister Badenoch announces her candidacy for this. She is the fourth applicant so far.
One of the most promising candidates to succeed British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not running. Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace said he decided "after careful consideration and discussion with colleagues and family" not to participate in the application process. "It wasn't an easy choice but my focus is on my current job and keeping this great country safe."
Wallace, who is ahead in polls among supporters of the Conservative Party, did not make a recommendation. He hopes the party is now concentrating on important political issues. Prime Minister Johnson announced his retirement on Thursday. However, he intends to remain in office until a successor is chosen. The newspaper "Telegraph" reported that the new party and government leader should be known on September 5th.
So far, four MPs have applied to succeed Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party. Most recently, the previous Secretary of State for Equal Opportunities, Kemi Badenoch, announced her candidacy in a guest article in "The Times". She wanted to tell people the truth again, wrote the 42-year-old, who resigned on Wednesday, citing the months of scandals and affairs surrounding Johnson. "But he was a symptom of the problems we face, not the cause. People are tired of platitudes and empty rhetoric. It is not enough to love our country, our people or our party." Badenoch is considered an outsider.
The best-known candidate so far is former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, whose resignation on Tuesday evening helped initiate Johnson's downfall. Several influential Tory politicians, such as former General Secretary Oliver Dowden, spoke out in favor of Sunak. Attorney General Suella Braverman, long considered a Johnson ally, and Foreign Affairs Committee chief Tom Tugendhat are also running. It was expected that political heavyweights such as Foreign Minister Liz Truss and ex-Health Minister Sajid Javid would also be in the running. According to "Telegraph" there could be up to 15 interested parties.
Any candidate will first need the support of at least eight Tory MPs. Then comes the voting in the parliamentary group, in which the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated in each election round - until only two are left. The party members decide on the winner in a run-off election. In September, the new party leader or the new party leader should be determined - he or she will then also move to Downing Street.
