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| Australian Prime Minister Is Ousted by Party Rival | Australian Prime Minister Is Ousted by Party Rival |
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| SYDNEY, Australia — Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday pulled off one of the most sensational political comebacks in Australian history, ousting in a party vote Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the woman who replaced him as leader of the Labor Party in a 2010 coup. | SYDNEY, Australia — Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday pulled off one of the most sensational political comebacks in Australian history, ousting in a party vote Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the woman who replaced him as leader of the Labor Party in a 2010 coup. |
| Mr. Rudd’s victory late Wednesday was followed by the resignation of Ms. Gillard, who had called the surprise vote to head off a challenge from Mr. Rudd’s backers. Much of the momentum to reinstate Mr. Rudd came from a steady drumbeat of polls showing that the party under Ms. Gillard was almost certain to face a catastrophic loss in coming elections. | Mr. Rudd’s victory late Wednesday was followed by the resignation of Ms. Gillard, who had called the surprise vote to head off a challenge from Mr. Rudd’s backers. Much of the momentum to reinstate Mr. Rudd came from a steady drumbeat of polls showing that the party under Ms. Gillard was almost certain to face a catastrophic loss in coming elections. |
| At a news conference after the vote, Ms. Gillard said she was privileged to have served as the country’s first female prime minister, and proud of her accomplishments despite challenges from within her party as well as from the opposition. “It has not been an easy environment to work in,” she said. “But I am pleased that in this environment, which wasn’t easy, I have prevailed to ensure that this country is made stronger, and smarter, and fairer for the future.” | At a news conference after the vote, Ms. Gillard said she was privileged to have served as the country’s first female prime minister, and proud of her accomplishments despite challenges from within her party as well as from the opposition. “It has not been an easy environment to work in,” she said. “But I am pleased that in this environment, which wasn’t easy, I have prevailed to ensure that this country is made stronger, and smarter, and fairer for the future.” |
| Mr. Rudd had been derided during his tenure for an authoritarian leadership style. But Ms. Gillard has seen her poll ratings plummet since announcing in January, unusually early, that federal elections would be held in September. | Mr. Rudd had been derided during his tenure for an authoritarian leadership style. But Ms. Gillard has seen her poll ratings plummet since announcing in January, unusually early, that federal elections would be held in September. |
| Ultimately, Ms. Gillard was never able to fully cement her position as leader, owing in part to the manner in which she came to power. She also faced a relentless political opposition that worked hard to deny her the accolades a different leader with a similarly wide range of legislative accomplishments might have received. | Ultimately, Ms. Gillard was never able to fully cement her position as leader, owing in part to the manner in which she came to power. She also faced a relentless political opposition that worked hard to deny her the accolades a different leader with a similarly wide range of legislative accomplishments might have received. |
| Mr. Rudd, who served as foreign minister under Ms. Gillard for almost two years after his ouster in 2010, paid tribute to her achievements during a late-night news conference in which he promised to end the politics of division that have repeatedly left the government paralyzed. | Mr. Rudd, who served as foreign minister under Ms. Gillard for almost two years after his ouster in 2010, paid tribute to her achievements during a late-night news conference in which he promised to end the politics of division that have repeatedly left the government paralyzed. |
| Despite Mr. Rudd’s victory within his own party, he is not automatically assured of becoming the new prime minister. It remained unclear whether he had enough support from the independent lawmakers whose backing allowed Ms. Gillard to form a government after Labor’s disappointing showing in the last elections. Ms. Gillard said she had formally asked the country’s governor general to make Mr. Rudd prime minister. | Despite Mr. Rudd’s victory within his own party, he is not automatically assured of becoming the new prime minister. It remained unclear whether he had enough support from the independent lawmakers whose backing allowed Ms. Gillard to form a government after Labor’s disappointing showing in the last elections. Ms. Gillard said she had formally asked the country’s governor general to make Mr. Rudd prime minister. |
| Ms. Gillard’s fate seemed to be sealed Wednesday when, just moments before the party vote was to be held, a Labor Party power broker, Bill Shorten, known as one of the “faceless men” who orchestrated the previous coup that ousted Mr. Rudd in favor of Ms. Gillard, told reporters that he would be swinging his vote behind Mr. Rudd in an effort to salvage the party’s chances in the September election. | Ms. Gillard’s fate seemed to be sealed Wednesday when, just moments before the party vote was to be held, a Labor Party power broker, Bill Shorten, known as one of the “faceless men” who orchestrated the previous coup that ousted Mr. Rudd in favor of Ms. Gillard, told reporters that he would be swinging his vote behind Mr. Rudd in an effort to salvage the party’s chances in the September election. |
| Although Ms. Gillard beat back a leadership challenge from Mr. Rudd early in 2012 and another abortive challenge from his supporters in March of this year, she has since slid in the polls against Tony Abbott, the leader of the opposition Liberal-National coalition. | Although Ms. Gillard beat back a leadership challenge from Mr. Rudd early in 2012 and another abortive challenge from his supporters in March of this year, she has since slid in the polls against Tony Abbott, the leader of the opposition Liberal-National coalition. |
| Her government passed a range of prominent legislation during her tenure, most of which was popular. But one notably unpopular policy was the establishment in 2011 of the second-largest emissions-trading system in the world, after the European Union's. That policy, in which high-polluting industries can buy and sell permission to release emissions above a specified limit, drew withering attacks from the opposition, which accused her of flip-flopping on the issue after she had promised not to enact it. And it proved unpopular with voters who feared that it would lead to increased energy costs. | Her government passed a range of prominent legislation during her tenure, most of which was popular. But one notably unpopular policy was the establishment in 2011 of the second-largest emissions-trading system in the world, after the European Union's. That policy, in which high-polluting industries can buy and sell permission to release emissions above a specified limit, drew withering attacks from the opposition, which accused her of flip-flopping on the issue after she had promised not to enact it. And it proved unpopular with voters who feared that it would lead to increased energy costs. |
| Mr. Abbott, who polls suggest could secure a large parliamentary majority in the coming elections, assailed Ms. Gillard’s party as dysfunctional and urged her to call a snap election to end the political impasse. He warned voters that a change in Labor’s leadership would not translate into changes in Labor policies. | Mr. Abbott, who polls suggest could secure a large parliamentary majority in the coming elections, assailed Ms. Gillard’s party as dysfunctional and urged her to call a snap election to end the political impasse. He warned voters that a change in Labor’s leadership would not translate into changes in Labor policies. |
| Ms. Gillard made Internet headlines last year in a blistering speech delivered before Parliament, in which she called Mr. Abbott a misogynist and a sexist with “repulsive double standards.” Mr. Abbott had appeared at rallies alongside vulgar and sexist placards calling Ms. Gillard a liar, and worse. “I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man, I will not,” she said. “Not now, not ever.” | Ms. Gillard made Internet headlines last year in a blistering speech delivered before Parliament, in which she called Mr. Abbott a misogynist and a sexist with “repulsive double standards.” Mr. Abbott had appeared at rallies alongside vulgar and sexist placards calling Ms. Gillard a liar, and worse. “I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man, I will not,” she said. “Not now, not ever.” |
| Rick Kuhn, a professor of politics at the Australian National University, said the Labor Party’s policies had led to its current state of disarray. | Rick Kuhn, a professor of politics at the Australian National University, said the Labor Party’s policies had led to its current state of disarray. |
| “I think that what’s underlain Labor’s problems is not basically issues of personality,” he said in an interview. “The issues of personality are a product of the disconnection of the Labor Party from its traditional base. And that’s a process that’s been going on for some decades, and it’s gone a very long way.” | “I think that what’s underlain Labor’s problems is not basically issues of personality,” he said in an interview. “The issues of personality are a product of the disconnection of the Labor Party from its traditional base. And that’s a process that’s been going on for some decades, and it’s gone a very long way.” |
| “That shift has continued under Rudd and gone further under Julia Gillard and that has meant that the main focus has been on whose face attracts the most attention rather than policies that really intersect with the people who’ve provided the bulk of Labor’s support really since the 1890s,” he added. | “That shift has continued under Rudd and gone further under Julia Gillard and that has meant that the main focus has been on whose face attracts the most attention rather than policies that really intersect with the people who’ve provided the bulk of Labor’s support really since the 1890s,” he added. |
| Still, while Professor Kuhn warned that Labor was headed for an electoral defeat of “historic proportions” under Mr. Rudd, he cautioned against a premature obituary for the party. | Still, while Professor Kuhn warned that Labor was headed for an electoral defeat of “historic proportions” under Mr. Rudd, he cautioned against a premature obituary for the party. |
| “I don’t think this means the end of the Labor Party or even the end of Labor’s prospects of electoral success,” he said. “I think what it represents is a further stage in a long-term degeneration of the Labor Party.” | “I don’t think this means the end of the Labor Party or even the end of Labor’s prospects of electoral success,” he said. “I think what it represents is a further stage in a long-term degeneration of the Labor Party.” |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | |
| Correction: June 28, 2013 | |
Because of an editing error, an article on Thursday about Kevin Rudd’s becoming Australia’s prime minister misidentified, in some editions, the post from which Julia Gillard, his political rival, resigned late Wednesday. She stepped down as prime minister, not as leader of the country’s Labor Party. (Mr. Rudd had defeated Ms. Gillard in a vote for party leader a short while earlier.) |