In a dramatic turn of events, the Coalition government in Australia has been rocked by further instability, with the National Party leader, David Littleproud, splitting from the Coalition and declaring that his party would not serve under the leadership of Liberal Party leader, Susan Ley.
Despite the setback, Ley has remained defiant, stating that she expects to survive as opposition leader. “Yes, I will,” Ley said when asked if she would remain in the top job. The embattled leader has also expressed openness to the possibility of a reconciliation with Littleproud and the National Party, stating that “the door is not closed.”
The latest split in the Coalition, the second in just eight months, has been sparked by a dispute over Labor’s hate speech laws, with three National Party senators crossing the floor to vote against the Coalition’s position. Littleproud, who had warned Ley that accepting the resignations of the trio would spark a walkout by the National Party, has now made good on his threat, blaming Ley for the split and claiming that he had tried to “avert it.”
The former National Party leader, Michael McCormack, has expressed hope that the two parties will reconcile “sooner rather than later,” describing Littleproud’s comments as “unfortunate.” However, Ley’s deputy, the shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien, has expressed confidence in her ability to remain leader, stating that “yes, she will” survive.
The turmoil within the Coalition has raised questions about Ley’s leadership, with some Liberals suggesting that a challenge is more likely to take place when MPs return to Canberra in the first week of February. A special meeting to consider a leadership spill can be held if two MPs petition the party whip for a vote.
As the political landscape continues to shift, the nation waits with bated breath to see how the situation will unfold, with the stability of the government and the future of the Coalition hanging in the balance.
