Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has resigned following a series of high-level defections from his government to the opposition.
Mr O’Neill, who has been in office for seven years, has faced calls for his resignation for weeks over a range of issues.
But after several more defections on Friday he accepted he did not have the support to continue.
Mr O’Neill, 54, said he would hand over office to former PM Sir Julius Chan.
“It is important that we maintain a certain amount of stability. We have heard the calls and we have agreed for a change of government,” Mr O’Neill told reporters in the capital Port Moresby, according to Papua New Guinea (PNG) broadcaster EMTV.
