Citizenship Fiasco Threatens Confidence as Another Australian Lawmaker Quits
- Turnbull now leading minority government as by-elections loom
- Concerns over lawmakers’ dual-nationality could drag into 2018
Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg
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Political turmoil in Australia risks undermining fragile economic confidence as the loss of another lawmaker in the dual-citizenship fiasco left Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull leading a minority government.
John Alexander, 66, became the second government member in the lower house to resign, when he acknowledged Saturday he likely inherited British citizenship through his father. While the government will survive with the support of independent lawmakers as Alexander and former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce re-contest their seats, the saga is a major distraction and threatens to stall Turnbull’s legislative agenda.