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Australian leadership crisis

February 23, 2012

Australia's Labor-led minority government has been thrown into a leadership crisis after Kevin Rudd resigned his post as foreign minister. Prime Minister Gillard has called for a vote to decide who will lead the party.

https://p.dw.com/p/147vA
A file photograph showing Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (left) meets with Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd at the commonwealth offices in Waterfront House, Brisbane, Australia, 07 August 2010. According to media reports on 22 February 2012 Kevin Rudd has resigned as Foreign Affairs Minister. EPA/ANDREW MEARES POOL AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT *** Local Caption *** 00000402328003 +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++
Image: picture alliance/dpa

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Wednesday announced a ballot to resolve a power struggle with her rival Kevin Rudd over the Labor Party's leadership ahead of general elections in 2013.

"I have decided that at 10 a.m. Monday morning a ballot for the Labor leadership will be conducted," Gillard told reporters, adding that she would stand for the job and expected the support of her colleagues.

The announcement came after former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd resigned his current post as foreign minister on Wednesday during a trip to Washington D.C., signaling that he would likely challenge Gillard for the party's leadership.

"I do not believe Prime Minister Gillard can lead the Australian Labor Party to success in the next election," Rudd said prior to boarding a plane back to Australia, where he is expected to formally announce his plans.

"I am very pleased and encouraged by the amount of positive support encouraging me to contest the leadership of the Labor party," he said.

Political rivalry

Prime Minister Gillard said that she would retire to the backbenches if she lost the ballot and abandon any future claims to the party's leadership, calling on Rudd to do the same.

"Australians are rightly sick of this and they want it brought to an end," Gillard said. "For far too long we have seen squabbling within the Labor Party which has obscured the government's achievements and what we are doing to build a stronger and fairer Australia for the future."

Rudd was ousted as Labor Party leader in 2010 by Gillard, who is believed to have the backing of most of the government's 103 lawmakers and is expected to win the ballot on Monday.

slk/pfd (AP, AFP, Reuters)