The British prime minister won the confidence of the deputies of his Conservative Party on Monday, overcoming a process initiated after the “Partygate” scandal, but the number of votes against is a setback for his authority and puts him in trouble.
Boris Johnson, who won the 2019 general election by a wide margin, has been under constant pressure since it was revealed that he and members of his cabinet held parties in Downing Street and at his official residence, despite containment measures. in the country in the face of the coronavirus epidemic.
With the support of only 59% of Conservative MPs, the vote represents a setback for the former mayor of London, after months of scandals and misdeeds that have called into question his ability to govern the country and have lowered his popularity among the public opinion.
However, Boris Johnson, an expert on political survival, described the vote as a “decisive outcome” which means “as a government we can move forward and focus on what really matters to the people”.
“We can focus on what we’re doing to help people with the cost of living, to make the streets and communities safer by putting more police presence,” he told reporters, after weeks trying to steer the debate away. public of “Partygate”.
There is deep anger at Boris Johnson, who has been booed at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee events in recent days.
A growing discontent
Boris Johnson received 211 votes to 148. He needed the support of at least 180 of the 359 Conservative MPs to remain Prime Minister.