'PartyGate' Johnson wins confidence vote... retains Prime Minister position

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who faced the biggest political crisis of his life due to the so-called 'Party Gate' controversy, has managed to retain his position as Prime Minister.

According to the Guardian and other sources, on the 6th (local time), Johnson received a vote of confidence in the ruling Conservative Party's parliamentary members' confidence vote with 211 votes in favor and 148 against. According to the rules, he must receive support from more than half of the 359 members, meaning at least 180 votes, to maintain his position as party leader.

However, the approval rate Johnson received was only 59%, which is even lower than the 63% received by former Prime Minister Theresa May in December 2018. The Guardian reported, "Johnson may have won, but it was not enough to quell the turmoil surrounding his leadership."

This no-confidence vote was held after Johnson was identified as a key figure in the so-called Party Gate, where he repeatedly held drinking parties at the Prime Minister's residence during the COVID-19 lockdown last year, violating quarantine rules. Voting began around 3 a.m. Korean time on the 7th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.