Boris Johnson tops the list of shortest terms in office for British Prime Ministers. As of Friday, he has been in office for just two years and 350 days. Dagmar Seeland, who lives in London, explains how much the British prime minister is clinging to his office.

“That really takes the biscuit!” You could say that in Great Britain. This really is the height of insolence. Many Britons are really angry with Boris Johnson, the current or somehow former Prime Minister. On Thursday afternoon he announced his resignation as leader of the Tories, the Conservative ruling party. He is also stepping down as head of government, presumably as soon as a successor has been found. He had made too many private missteps in his short tenure, or as Johnson himself said in his resignation speech: “I regret not having been more successful.” So what’s next in the UK? That explains the Great Britain correspondent of the star, Dagmar Seeland, in the 313th episode of “today important”.

Holding on to office: The British prime minister wants to remain in office until the autumn

Boris Johnson wants to leave – but not until the fall: until a successor is found and the government is back from vacation, he wants to stay in office as prime minister. Stern correspondent Dagmar Seeland says that this is very problematic from the point of view of many: “With Boris Johnson there is a possibility that he would like to stay until the autumn out of self-interest and hopes that he can convince the party base again.”

It is now known that Boris Johnson is not a “normal politician”: “Up until now, Boris Johnson has always gotten away with everything – and that’s exactly how he was involved in politics.” Even at the last moment, when an apology would actually be appropriate, the politician celebrates himself, says Seeland.

“A man without principles”: Boris Johnson is a threat to a proud democracy

“Boris Johnson is a man without principles. That has become clear since the Brexit referendum.” It would therefore be good for Germany if a moderate prime minister followed Johnson so that Britain’s relationship with the European Union could improve again. In any case, his reign could have consequences, says Dagmar Seeland. Because some of his laws would have endangered human rights, the right to vote, democracy: “Many Britons, who have always considered their country to be a flagship of the world’s democracies, now have doubts as to whether this system is that good.”

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