The opposition in Australia has elected former energy minister Taylor as its new leader, according to reports from ABC

Australia’s opposition Liberal Party on Friday elected former Energy and Emissions Minister Angus Taylor as its new leader, according to media reports. He replaces Sussan Ley, following the conservative party’s significant loss in the national election less than a year ago.

Taylor, a prominent member of the party’s conservative faction and the son of a fourth-generation sheep farmer, triumphed over Ley in a party room vote, securing 34 votes to 17, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corp and Sky News, referencing unnamed sources.

Ley made history in May as the first woman to lead the Liberals following the party’s election defeat, yet her time in leadership was characterized by a consistent decline in poll support.

Ley’s popularity declined due to internal conflicts, both within the Liberal Party and with its coalition partner, the National Party, regarding matters such as climate change action, hate speech legislation, and immigration policies.

Taylor now confronts the task of restoring support for the Liberals, which declined even more following the May election. Recent opinion polls show that the opposition coalition has seen a decline in voter support, shifting towards far-right populist Senator Pauline Hanson and her anti-immigration party, One Nation.

In January, two distinct polls indicated that One Nation’s primary vote had surpassed that of the coalition. Additionally, a recent Newspoll released by The Australian newspaper labeled Ley as the most unpopular major party leader in over twenty years.