On Monday, October 24, the United Kingdom chose its newest prime minister. Rishi Sunak, from the Conservative Party, is set to take office later this week, replacing Liz Truss, who recently resigned and became the leader with the shortest tenure in the position.
Rishi Sunak will be the third person to lead Britain in seven weeks. He will also be the first leader of Hindu descent and, at 42 years old, the youngest person to assume the role in over 200 years.
On the verge of making history, Sunak’s rise is a milestone for a nation that has been becoming more ethnically diverse in recent decades, although troubled by recent anti-immigrant fervor.
Sunak, who quickly moved from being a rookie Member of Parliament to becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer at 39, was born in Southampton on the south coast of England, the son of parents of Indian descent who immigrated about six decades ago.
His father, a family doctor, and his mother, a pharmacy owner, saved money to send him to Winchester College, one of the most elitist and academically rigorous schools in Britain. After graduating from the University of Oxford and attending Stanford University, he made a fortune in finance before winning a seat in Parliament in 2015.
He became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2020, and his popularity surged during the Covid pandemic when the Treasury dispensed billions to save jobs and support struggling Britons.
The new prime minister will face a series of economic challenges, such as soaring inflation and a crisis in the energy sector, in addition to the difficult task of uniting his party and the country.