The first female leader of Australia's Liberal Party, Sussan Ley, has been ousted after just nine months in the role, losing a leadership ballot to her former shadow defence minister Angus Taylor.
Ley was elevated to the position following the party's significant defeat in last year's election. Since then, she faced challenges, including poor poll numbers and escalating infighting within the conservative Liberal-National Coalition.
On Wednesday, Taylor announced his intention to challenge Ley for the position, bringing to an end months of speculation over her leadership.
Following his election on Friday, Taylor described the opportunity as an immense honour and expressed eagerness about collaborating with new deputy leader Jane Hume.
Taylor, who hails from the party’s conservative faction, secured the leadership in a secret ballot by a convincing margin of 34 votes to 17.
After the announcement, Ley declared her resignation as a member of parliament and stated she would step away completely from public life. She noted that she held no hard feelings towards the new leader, emphasizing the importance of giving him clear air in his new role—a nod to the struggles she experienced during her tenure.
Taylor, who narrowly lost the 2025 leadership contest to Ley, is seen as a key player in the party's future direction. His experience as a former minister under Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison adds to his credentials.
Ley's leadership faced a lack of stability, as the Liberal-National Coalition, a partnership established in the 1940s, encountered splits during her leadership—initially after the May election and again in recent weeks.
Recent polls indicated growing support for the populist One Nation Party over the Coalition, further complicating the political landscape as Ley's individual approval ratings also struggled.
The Coalition has yet to reach a consensus on the reasons behind its major electoral defeat to Labor, which left the Liberals largely marginalized in major urban areas and highlighted sharp disagreements on key policy issues, particularly regarding energy and climate.
Reflecting on her leadership journey, Ley stated, It has been tough, at times, very tough, but every sleepless night, every intractable problem, indeed, every personal challenge, has always been put in perspective by my understanding of the burdens that so many ordinary Australians face quietly and without fuss every day.\
