Australia: Rudd ousts Gillard
June 26, 2013![[40508532] Kevin Rudd arrives to hold a media conference in Canberra. epa03760358 Kevin Rudd (R) arrives for the leadership ballot in Canberra, Australia, 26 June 2013. Others are not identified. Kevin Rudd accepted Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's challenge for him to stand in an election for the leadership of the ruling Labor Party and accepted Gillard's demand for him to join her in pledging to leave politics in the event of rejection in a caucus vote for the leadership of her party scheduled for later 26 June. EPA/ALAN PORRITT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++](/dw.static/image/16908992_1004.webp "[40508532] Kevin Rudd arrives to hold a media conference in Canberra. epa03760358 Kevin Rudd (R) arrives for the leadership ballot in Canberra, Australia, 26 June 2013. Others are not identified. Kevin Rudd accepted Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's challenge for him to stand in an election for the leadership of the ruling Labor Party and accepted Gillard's demand for him to join her in pledging to leave politics in the event of rejection in a caucus vote for the leadership of her party scheduled for later 26 June. EPA/ALAN PORRITT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++")
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd won a leadership ballot Wednesday in the Labor Party caucus with 57 votes to 45 against Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Gillard, who ousted Rudd three years ago, called for the vote in response to reports that Rudd's supporters were pushing for a challenge. Opinion polls show that the party could face a huge defeat by the Tony Abbott-led conservatives in elections set for September.
"Many, many MPs have requested me for a long, long time to contest the leadership of the party because of the parlous circumstances we now face," Rudd said before the ballot.
Prior to the leadership ballot, both Gillard and Rudd agreed that they would quit politics if they lost.
In a 2012 ballot, Gillard easily defeated Rudd 71 votes to 31. In February, she held a leadership vote to end speculation, but Rudd did not challenge her and she remained prime minister.
hc/rg (AP, AFP)