The Japanese ruling party LDP will vote on September 14 to succeed the ailing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The winner of that internal election will be the new party leader and is expected to be the next prime minister of Japan.
Abe announced last week that he is leaving because he has health problems. An initiate told AFP that it has now been decided to hold the party election on September 14. Parliament will probably vote on Abe’s succession two days later.
Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party keeps the party election in leaner form. That means that ordinary party members are not allowed to vote. Parliamentarians from the ruling party do have the right to vote.
The party says it would take too long to organize an ordinary vote. Due to the poor health of Abe, one should not wait too long, said a high party official. The PM has said he will stay until his successor is elected.
Experts believe that the simplified party election procedure is particularly beneficial for the influential cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga, who is supported by powerful figures within the LDP. He has yet to apply and is expected to do so on Wednesday.