U.S Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been ousted by a small number of Republicans in the House of Representatives, further destabilising Congress due to internal party strife.
Eight Republicans joined 208 Democrats in voting to remove McCarthy as Speaker making it the first time in history that the House dismissed its leader by a 216-to-210 margin.
McCarthy told reporters he would not make another run for Speaker, adding that he fought for what he believed in and will continue to fight but maybe in a different manner.
The House appeared to remain without a leader for at least a week, as various Republicans claimed they expected to meet on October 10 to debate potential McCarthy successors, with a vote on a new Speaker scheduled for October 11.
Representative Matt Gaetz, a far-right Republican from Florida and McCarthy foe, spearheaded the revolt when the speaker depended on Democratic votes to help pass a package to avoid a partial government shutdown on Saturday.
The House will now be forced to hold votes on a new speaker, though McCarthy’s defectors have not named any alternative nominee. It’s not clear that any other Republican could win enough votes to secure the gavel.
The vote marks the end of a fraught speakership for McCarthy. It took him 15 rounds of voting to secure the position in January
