Australia PM Julia Gillard wins leadership vote unopposed
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CANBERRA (REUTERS) - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stared down a leadership crisis on Thursday and ensured she would lead the government until the Sept 14 elections after her chief rival, Mr Kevin Rudd, said he did not have enough support to replace her.
Ms Gillard has now defeated Mr Rudd for the leadership three times, but she faces the prospect of trying to unify a deeply divided party and then turning around opinion polls that show her government will be easily defeated in the general election.
"I think they're terminal. There is no way out of this," political analyst Nick Economou told Reuters, adding the leadership tension reinforced perceptions that the conservative opposition would easily win the election.
Ms Gillard was re-elected unopposed, while Treasurer Wayne Swan was re-elected deputy prime minister unopposed.
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