Liz Truss is the U.K.’s new prime minister

The country’s Conservative Party announced Monday that Liz Truss, the current foreign secretary, beat former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak with 81,326 votes to his 60,399. Only 170,000 dues-paying members of the party voted in the special election under Britain’s parliamentary system. Queen Elizabeth II will officially appoint Truss to the position of prime minister Tuesday.

What challenges does Truss face? She confronts immediate pressure to deliver on campaign promises to curb the rising costs of living. Inflation in the country is above 10 percent for the first time since the 1980s. The Bank of England expects it to reach 13.3 percent in October—a 40-year high. Tens of thousands of workers have gone on strike to demand higher pay. Energy bills are expected to jump 80 percent starting next month.

Dig deeper: Read Calvin Robinson’s column in WORLD Opinions about the fall of outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson.