Liberal Party Nears Three-Way Leadership Race With Wilson, Ley, Taylor

The Liberal Party of Australia is preparing to elect a new leader following its worst election defeat since World War II, with key contenders including Sussan Ley, Angus Taylor, and potentially Tim Wilson, who recently reclaimed the Melbourne seat of Goldstein. Wilson, known for his economic conservatism and advocacy for marriage equality, has expressed openness to running but plans to announce his decision after the National Party's leadership ballot; he emphasizes the need for a bold and confident Liberal Party with a clear alternative vision. The leadership contest reflects internal challenges, including uniting a party that holds less than half the seats of Labor and balancing policy positions to avoid alienating moderate voters while differentiating from Labor. Party moderates support Ley, partly due to her potential appeal to female voters, while Taylor has backing from figures like former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who is also vying for deputy leader. Analysts note the difficulty of leadership given the party's internal divisions and the loss of votes to hard-right parties, suggesting the new leader must navigate between ideological extremes to maintain unity. There is a call within the party to focus less on ideological battles and more on practical policies to help Australians succeed, aiming to rebuild after the significant setback.