Liz Truss will become U.K.’s leader. She’s a Margaret Thatcher devotee

• Liz Truss is Britain’s third prime minister in three years
• Truss won 57% of votes from 172,000 Conservative Party activists – less than 1% of UK population
• Truss replaces Boris Johnson, who leaves office Tuesday

LONDON – Liz Truss will become Britain’s third female prime minister after Monday’s announcement by the ruling Conservative Party that she would replace Boris Johnson.

Truss, 47, has portrayed herself as the political heir to Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s formidable cheerleader for free markets and low taxes, a strong supporter of the Anglo-American alliance and a dynamo who played a key role in ending the Cold War. Johnson, an architect of Britain’s exit from the European Union (known as Brexit), held the role for just over three years before resigning amid scandals over breaking his own coronavirus lockdown rules.