She is set to become the third woman in history to enter Downing Street. Born on 26 July 1975 in Oxford into a very left-leaning family, Mary Elizabeth Truss, nicknamed Liz, remembers playing Margaret Thatcher in a school play. A role this libertarian takes to heart: “My personal philosophy, It’s about giving people the opportunity to make their own decisions.” She confided to the daily newspaper one day Guardian. Liz Truss surprised her parents when she admitted to them that she was on the right side.

Ten years in the government

A graduate of the prestigious Oxford University (in politics and economics), she chaired the Europhile Liberal Democrat group there. The first commercial director in the private sector, she joined politics in 2010 as the Conservative MP for the constituency of South West Norfolk (East England).

Liz Truss entered government in 2012… and never left it: Secretary of State for Education, then Environment Minister, in 2014, and the first female Justice Minister under Theresa May, in 2016. After a stint at the Treasury, International Trade and Equality, she will take over as Foreign Secretary in September 2021.

Disconnected comments

Liz Truss’ appointment as diplomatic chief is seen by some as a way to deflect Boris Johnson’s ambitions. Still a supporter remain (“Stay”), she is leading negotiations for a hard Brexit, highlighting opportunities for the United Kingdom to move closer to the United States and Australia. But London’s long-awaited LIS Truss failed to seal a trade deal with Washington. On the question of Northern Ireland, she is adamant about the EU. His strong opinions on international politics are gaining traction within the Conservative Party.

In the Ukrainian crisis, the Lis Truss included the United Kingdom’s support in Kyiv by imposing unprecedented economic sanctions against Russia. Her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, taunts her: the latter deceives her by saying that he will not recognize Moscow’s sovereignty over the two Russian cities near the Ukraine border, Rostov and Voronezh.

As the United Kingdom faces an unprecedented crisis, with inflation hitting 9.1% last May, the Liss Trust, like many of its rivals, offered a big tax break with no hint of economic conditions.

To head the Conservative Party, she will have to highlight her balance sheet by dissociating herself from the image of Boris Johnson’s heir apparent. The former prime minister has announced that he is not backing any of the eleven candidates as his successor “Let no one be hurt”.