Australian prime minister Julia Gillard is holding a vote on her leadership, with party rival Kevin Rudd confirming he would be challenging the embattled leader.
Ms Gillard moved to end uncertainty over her job in response to reports that Mr Rudd's supporters were gearing up for a challenge ahead of September elections.
The ballot in the Labor Party is being held behind closed doors.
Mr Rudd was ousted as prime minister by Ms Gillard in 2010. He previously had ruled out a leadership bid unless he was assured of the overwhelming support of his colleagues.
Opinion polls have shown that the party could face huge losses in the September elections, but that Mr Rudd would be a more popular leader than Ms Gillard.
Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott Ms Gillard said earlier: "I wouldn't be putting myself forward unless I had a degree of confidence about the support of my parliamentary colleagues."
She appeared to express frustration over a petition that reportedly was circulating within the party to call for the leadership ballot.
"Call me old-fashioned, but the way in which these things are normally done is a challenger approaches the leader of the Labor Party and asks them to call a ballot for the leadership, who shake hands and then a ballot is held," she said.
"That hasn't happened but in these circumstances I do think it is in the best interests of the nation and in the best interests of the Labor Party for this matter to be resolved ... "
Mr Rudd said: "The truth is many, many MPs have requested me for a long time to contest the leadership of the party because of the parlous circumstances we now face.
"We are on course for a catastrophic defeat unless there is change."
He said he wanted to do "what I can" to prevent opposition leader Tony Abbott - the favourite - from becoming prime minister.
Both Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd have agreed that whoever loses the vote should quit Parliament at the election.
He has promised tighter control of public spending, a speedier return to surplus budgets, and stronger economic growth if he wins office.
However, a victory for Mr Rudd could trigger an earlier election if he cannot attract the level of support from independent politicians and from the minor Greens party that Ms Gillard managed.
Mr Rudd had been a popular prime minister who started sliding in the polls when Ms Gillard, his then deputy, challenged him to a leadership ballot three years ago.
He did not contest the ballot when he became aware of the level of her support, so she was unopposed when she became the first female prime minister in Australia's history.
Weeks later she led her party to a narrow election victory and formed an unpopular minority government with the support of independents and a legislator from the Greens.
In March, Ms Gillard retained the leadership of the party just hours after she was urged to hold a ballot and Mr Rudd admitted he did not have enough support to defeat her. Mr Rudd also lost a bid for the leadership in 2012.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Australia: Gillard Faces Challenge From Rudd
Dengan url
http://malurasanya.blogspot.com/2013/06/australia-gillard-faces-challenge-from.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Australia: Gillard Faces Challenge From Rudd
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Australia: Gillard Faces Challenge From Rudd
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar