Former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak is the frontrunner and the favorite to replace Liz Truss as the United Kingdom has been dealing with economic instability.
Sunak’s position was bolstered after former leader Boris Johnson dropped out of the Conservative Party leadership battle.
Sunak lost out to Truss in the last Conservative election, but the latter could only last for six weeks before she crumbled under economic pressure.
Now, Rishi’s party and the country appear eager for a safe pair of hands to tackle soaring energy and food prices and a looming recession.
Sunak, who was Treasury chief from 2020 until this summer, quit in July in protest at Johnson’s leadership.
This would be the third time the United Kingdom would be choosing a prime minister, after the Boris Johnson scandal, and Liz Truss resignation.
Rishi navigated the economy through the coronavirus pandemic, winning praise for his financial support for laid-off workers and shirtered businesses.
The 42-year-old is the only candidate with confirmed support from more than 100 lawmakers, the number needed to run in the election.
House of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt has far fewer public expressions of support, but would be dependent on the number of lawmakers on Monday.
If Rishi wins, he would become the prime minister in a handover of power from Truss later Monday or on Tuesday.
Johnson quit, after spending the weekend trying to gain support from fellow Conservative lawmakers after flying back from a Caribbean vacation.
Late Sunday he said he had amassed the backing of 102 colleagues. But he was far behind Sunak in support.
