Former British Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new leader of the Conservative Party, marking a historic moment as the first Black woman to lead a major political party in the United Kingdom.
Badenoch, 44, who spent part of her upbringing in Nigeria, emerged victorious in the final round of voting against fellow contender Robert Jenrick, securing 53,806 votes compared to Jenrick’s 41,388.
The results were announced by the Conservative Party on Saturday morning.
Following her win, Badenoch takes over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the opposition.
During her campaign, she emphasized a commitment to returning the Conservative Party to “first principles” and announced plans to initiate a series of policy reviews to shape a new vision for the party’s platform in the coming months.
