How big are Johnson's footsteps?
The die will be cast in London today. The Conservative Party will announce who its members have chosen to succeed Boris Johnson as the UK's new prime minister around noon. Europe's press sees a victory for Liz Truss as a foregone conclusion, but commentators question whether she will be able to savour her triumph for long, especially with her predecessor breathing down her neck.
Truss's premiership will be beset by perils
The ex-premier will turn on Truss as soon as it is in his interest to do so, The Guardian predicts:
“He will be encouraged by the thought that he has been written off many times before, only to stage comebacks everyone else thought impossible. The quest may well be a fantasy, but his pursuit of it will fascinate his party and the media in a way bound to distract and destabilise his successor. ... Hers will be a premiership beset by perils from day one and he will have no compunction about exploiting her vulnerabilities if he thinks it serves his ambitions.”
Johnson has not disappeared
Johnson will continue to be involved in politics, Visão is convinced:
“There's no question that he likes to party and drink even in difficult times, but he never pretended to be a paragon of virtue or good behaviour. ... He unconditionally supported Kyiv and never admitted or accepted that the military outcome could be anything other than a Ukrainian victory. Biden and Nato were given a big shove by this prime minister, whom Ukrainians see as the most charismatic foreign politician. Liz Truss will come, but Boris has not disappeared.”
Fulfil Mr Brexit's promise
The outgoing prime minister did a lot right and will be missed, The Daily Telegraph is convinced:
“He is Mr Brexit. During the referendum, he used his unique combination of humour, reason and passion to persuade the British people to have the courage of their convictions and vote to leave the European Union. ... Even if its various controversies will radiate for years to come, the Tories should not repudiate what he initially stood for. On the contrary, a fine ambition would be to complete the project that Mr Johnson started in 2016-19 - to fulfil the promise of Brexit.”
The time of populism is over
Johnson's successor must bring about a change in British politics, Die Presse insists:
“Truss will not be allowed a period of grace as prime minister. After the fairy tale of the election campaign, a sobering rendezvous with reality awaits her. ... The short-sighted populism that swept Truss into power will not take her country - or her - very far. What Britain needs now is neither fickle jesters like Boris Johnson nor posers who spout hollow rhetoric on Instagram, but serious and clear-sighted leadership.”