Rishi Sunak has been declared as the UK’s next Prime Minister on Monday, defeating centrist politician Penny Mordaunt.
King Charles III will most likely ask Sunak to form a government on Tuesday.
More than half of Conservative MPs have extended their support to Rishi Sunak in the Prime Ministerial race. Over 188 MPs extended public support to Sunak publicly, whereas Penny Mordaunt had just the support of 27 MPs.
The forty-two-year-old Sunak served as the finance minister under Boris Johnson. And now, the former investment banker’s biggest challenge will be to restore economic, as well as political, stability in the country.
Sunak’s political rival, and former PM, Boris Johnson, withdrew from the race at the last moment, virtually paving the way for what could be a monumental change for Britain.
Sunak will be Britain’s 57th PM, and will also be one of the richest, with a net worth believed to be £730 million.
South Asian descendant Sunak is married to Akshata Murty, daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy.
Sunak will be Britain’s third Prime Minister in seven weeks as well as the first prime minister of colour in the history of Britain.
Sunak’s roots lie in British Punjab. His grandparents migrated to the UK from Africa in the 1960s. In addition to English, Sunak speaks Hindi and Punjabi. Sunak’s father was a general physician in Southampton, and his mother ran a local pharmacy.
Sunak will also be the youngest Prime Minister since Lord Liverpool assumed office in 1812.
Greeting Sunak, outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss tweeted, “Congratulations @RishiSunak on being appointed as Leader of the Conservative Party and our next Prime Minister. You have my full support.”