The UK's Conservatives appoint Kemi Badenoch as their new leader, moving the party towards the right.

• On Saturday, the U.K.'s opposition Conservative Party appointed right-wing Kemi Badenoch as its new leader, ending a protracted leadership contest following the Tories' crushing electoral loss.
• The final winner of a three-month contest was decided by Conservative Party members, after a shortlist of six candidates was whittled down to two.
• The revitalized Conservative opposition is likely to intensify the pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour administration.

The Conservative Party in the U.K. appointed Kemi Badenoch as its new leader on Saturday, following a protracted leadership contest that began after the party's devastating electoral loss.

Robert Jenrick was removed from his position by Badenoch to become the new leader, succeeding Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister.

Badenoch expressed her gratitude for being elected to the role, stating it as the greatest honor in her maiden speech as party leader following the announcement of the results.

After a three-month contest, two candidates emerged from a shortlist of six, following four rounds of voting by Tory MPs.

The Conservative Party members decided the ultimate winner, with Badenoch receiving 53,806 votes and Jenrick getting 41,388. The voter turnout was 72.8%.

The U.K.'s oldest political party may adopt a more hardline stance on immigration, climate measures, and culture politics following Badenoch's victory, indicating a shift to the right.

In the final vote, Badenoch and Jenrick, both right-wing candidates, were viewed as unlikely opponents. Some MPs speculated that tactical voting aimed at harming their least preferred candidate, James Cleverly, a more centrist contender, had actually benefited the two right-wingers.

In the U.K.'s July 4 general election, the Conservatives suffered a landslide defeat, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government securing a victory as voters grew weary of ongoing leadership changes and political infighting at the tail end of 14 years of Tory rule.

Badenoch said the Conservatives had to acknowledge its previous errors and change course.

To ensure our country's success, our party must be honest about our mistakes and the standards we've let slip, she emphasized on Saturday.

Badenoch emphasized the need to be truthful, uphold principles, and plan for the future. She urged resetting politics and thinking to give the party and country a fresh start. It's time to take action, she said. It's time to revitalize.

Who is Kemi Badenoch?

Badenoch, a former Business Minister, had a background in IT and banking before entering politics. She was elected as an MP in 2017 and served in ministerial roles under three prime ministers.

Badenoch, a 44-year-old staunch proponent of Brexit, is known for her outspoken views and tough stance on divisive issues such as immigration and rights for transgender people, including in her role as minister for women and equalities.

In her second leadership race in two years, after finishing fourth in a 2022 runoff, Badenoch pledged to revitalize the Conservative Party by advocating for a smaller government role and a greater emphasis on family values.

Despite her strong political views, her recent comments about maternity pay and culture have sparked controversy and reinforced her image as a culture warrior.

Jenrick, initially a close ally of Sunak, started his political career as a centrist figure but has since aligned himself with the right within the party, with regaining control of the U.K.'s borders being a central tenet of his leadership pitch.

In December 2023, the 42-year-old former lawyer resigned as immigration minister, stating that Sunak's Rwanda legislation did not go far enough. He also pledged to withdraw Britain from the European Convention of Human Rights to increase deportations.

In recent years, Jenrick's strict views have made him the center of several scandals, including in 2023 when he ordered the removal of murals of cartoon characters at a Dover reception center for child asylum seekers.

This week, he was criticized by Starmer for suggesting that police had withheld information about the murders of three girls in Southport in July, which led to a surge of far-right violence.

What does it mean for the Labour government?

The current government is unlikely to be affected by the leadership win, as Labour holds its second-largest parliamentary majority in history.

The Tories' new leader may not be in office when the U.K. elects its next government in up to five years.

A revitalized opposition party will be better equipped to challenge Starmer and criticize some of his core policies.

The return of Nigel Farage and his Reform UK Party in June could prompt the Conservatives to shift further right to prevent additional electoral losses.

Some analysts propose that the Tory party could collaborate with Farage's Reform party to increase support, an idea that Farage has not ruled out.