Credit: Unsplash

The former finance minister is taking over after Liz Truss’ brief stint.

Last week, British Prime Minister Liz Truss surprised the world by announcing her resignation from the position after only 44 days in office. Truss’ brief tenure proved deeply unpopular with both ends of the political aisle due to several misfires, particularly centered around the United Kingdom’s economy. This week, new elections were held by the ruling Conservative Party, and as of this morning, the new Prime Minister has been named.

Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak has been named the new Prime Minister elect. Sunak, the first British Asian individual to hold the office, beat out both Penny Mordaunt, who could not secure the necessary support, and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who withdrew his candidacy for the position over the weekend.

“The United Kingdom is a great country but we face a profound economic crisis,” Sunak wrote on his personal Twitter on Sunday ahead of the announcement. “I want to fix our economy, unite our party and deliver for our country.”

🔵 Rishi Sunak, the new Tory leader, has arrived at Conservative Party headquarters in central London.

He was welcomed by cheers and applause from the assembled Tory MPs as he got out of his carhttps://t.co/NCh04pTEzY pic.twitter.com/KS0jI4cbWU

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 24, 2022

Sunak will officially establish his position in the government in a ceremony today alongside the recently-crowned King Charles III. Sunak will have his work cut out for him, as he is inheriting both the ongoing economic crisis and the confusion surrounding the country’s departure from the European Union from Truss and Johnson.