United States: The United States House of Representatives has removed Republican Speaker Mr. Kevin McCarthy from his position. Mr. McCarthy was expelled from his role in a 216-210 vote, the first time in history a US House has voted to remove its leader.
“Mr. McCarthy has failed to take a stand where it matters,” far-right Florida Congressman Mr. Matt Gaetz, who began the move to expel the Speaker, posted on social media before the vote. “So if he won’t, I will,” Mr. Gaetz said.
The unprecedented vote underscores growing turmoil in the Republican Party, with its hard-right group targeting Mr. McCarthy on several occasions since he first became the speaker in January. According to reports, there is no clear choice within the party to replace him.
In the House of Representatives vote, eight Republicans broke with the speaker, erasing his chances of securing the majority needed to keep his position. Democrats, who have expressed discontent with Mr. McCarthy over what they see as his efforts to appeal to the Republicans’ hard right, refused to vote in his favor.
White House Press Secretary Ms. Karine Jean-Pierre has said that President Mr. Joe Biden hopes the House will quickly select a new speaker, saying the “urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait”.
“The American people deserve leadership that puts the issues affecting their lives front and center. Once the House has met its responsibility to elect a speaker, Mr. Biden looks forward to working together with them and with the Senate to address the American people’s priorities,” Ms. Jean-Pierre commented.
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