A criterion that was easily met by former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, former Defense Minister Penny Mordaunt, chief diplomat Liz Truss and MP Tom Tugendhat. Newly appointed Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi, government legal adviser (“Attorney General”) Suella Braverman, former Equality Secretary Kemi Badenoch and former Health Minister Jeremy Hunt are also in the running.
After the formalization of the candidacies, a vote must be held on Wednesday. The eight candidates must then gather 30 deputies to their cause to pass this first round. A second is scheduled for Thursday and another, if necessary, for Monday. The objective is that there are only two candidates left before the parliamentary vacation that begins on July 22. The name of the person who will become leader of the Conservative Party and, de facto, Prime Minister, will be known on September 5, after a final vote open to party members.
As of Tuesday morning, there were still eleven remaining candidates to succeed Boris Johnson, but three of them, including former Health Minister Sajid Javid, withdrew as the nomination pool approached. Bookmakers side by side with Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, followed by Liz Truss.
