Meet Theresa May, Britain's 76th Prime Minister

On June 23, British voters stunned the world with their decision to leave the European Union. Almost immediately, Prime Minister David Cameron, who had lobbied hard against what has popularly become known as “Brexit,” announced his resignation, leaving officials scrambling to find a new leader.

Members of the opposing Labour Party argued for an early election. However, representatives of Cameron’s Conservative Party firmly ruled out the possibility of bringing forward the election date, which is currently set for May 2020. Instead, they opted to select the country’s new leader internally. Though several candidates expressed interest initially, all but Theresa May dropped out for various reasons.

On July 13, the former Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality was appointed the 76^th Prime Minister of Britain by Queen Elizabeth and asked to form a government. The 59-year-old, who was against Brexit, has indicated that she is in no rush to invoke Article 50 of the 2007 Lisbon Treaty that will trigger the start of the two-year process to separate Britain from the European Union.

That’s because the new Prime Minister first needs to outline the country’s objectives for leaving the EU. Additionally, she also has to convince the people of Scotland, who voted against Brexit, that leaving the Union is a positive event. But while she may delay the process, May will not ignore the wishes of the British voters and has assured them that “Brexit means Brexit, and we're going to make a success of it.”

The country’s second female leader after Margaret Thatcher has a formidable task ahead of her as she navigates the country through this tumultuous period. But May, who was the nation’s longest-serving Home Secretary before becoming Prime Minister, is a seasoned politician who is known to be a tough negotiator and a hard worker. While her critics may describe her as “the most boring woman in Britain,” or “as dull as porridge,” May will certainly perk up the interest of fashionistas with her snazzy dressing that often includes leopard or zebra print shoes and knee-high red boots!

Resources: Independent.co.uk,voanews.com,wwd.com,theguardian.com