He had already traveled to London, but now he is backing down: Boris Johnson does not want to be prime minister again.

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not run for office again after all in an internal party vote. Although he has the necessary support in the Tory Conservative group, he chose not to, the politician said on Sunday night. He is endorsed by more than 100 MPs and can apply, Johnson wrote.

Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is the most promising candidate for Downing Street. According to the BBC, more than 140 parliamentarians have spoken out in public for him. The support of at least 100 deputies is necessary. He wants to lead the country through the crisis with “integrity and professionalism,” Sunak wrote on Twitter when he officially announced his candidacy on Sunday. Also in the running is Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs Penny Mordaunt, who trailed well behind in third place.

The Tory party is looking for a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss, who resigned on Thursday after an unprecedented six chaotic weeks in office due to pressure from her party. Candidates can participate in the race until Monday afternoon (15:00 CEST).

Commenting on his retirement, Johnson wrote: “I have a good chance of succeeding at grassroots level and could possibly be back at Downing Street on Friday.” However, he had come to the conclusion that this was not the right path. “You can’t govern effectively if you don’t have a unified party in parliament.” He did not come to terms with his rivals Sunak or Mordaunt. “I think I have a lot to offer, but unfortunately this is probably not the right time,” said the 58-year-old.