Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Is Ousted in Party Coup
June 26, 2013
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today ousted the current prime minister, Julia Gillard, as leader of the Australian Labor Party. By a vote of 57-to-45, Rudd retook the leadership of the party and, thus, returns as prime minister. Rudd stated that he resumes the office “with humility, with honor, and with an important sense of energy and purpose.”
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (© Commonwealth of Australia)
Rudd’s overthrow of Gillard comes ahead of a general election due in September, which polls show Labor could lose. However, Rudd is more popular with voters than Gillard, and political experts suggest that Labor will perform better in the election under his leadership.
Julia Gillard of the Australian Labor Party became the first female prime minister of Australia in 2010. (© Graham Denholm, Getty Images)
Pundits noted that Rudd’s return to leadership is the latest twist in a long and bitter rivalry between the two politicians. Once close friends and colleagues, Gillard overthrew Rudd as prime minister in 2010 in what has been widely described as an act of ruthless political ambition. Since his overthrow, Rudd has been said to have worked unceasingly to destablize Gillard’s government.
Additional World Book articles:
- Parliament
- Australia 2010 (a Back in Time article)
- Australia 2012 (a Back in Time article)
