How the world’s media is covering Boris Johnson’s downfall

All eyes in the UK are on Boris Johnson and his impending resignation - and the rest of the world is watching too.

As a slew of more than 50 resignations from within government continued on Thursday morning, No 10 briefed journalists that the prime minister was to step down within hours.

He did so shortly after 12:30pm, signalling that he intends to stay on as a caretaker until a new Tory leader is elected, probably in October.

The outgoing prime minister’s departure is dominating leading news outlets across the globe, with Turkey’s biggest newspaper, Hürriyet, branding the imploding of the UK government a “political earthquake”.

The top story on the website of leading German newspaper Spiegel was meanwhile headlined “Bye, Boris!”, with a line beneath it reading: “On Wednesday afternoon, Boris Johnson again showed himself to have an excess of testosterone in Parliament. No talk of resignation. But since then, trouble has been brewing. Now the end could come very quickly.”

Leading the website of Le Monde, one of France’s leading newspapers, on Thursday morning was a liveblog beneath the headline: “Boris Johnson set to step down as Conservative Party leader, paving the way for his departure from Downing Street”.

Mr Johnson’s departure is also leading the New York Times’ website, with a live blog under the headline “Britain’s Boris Johnson will resign as his party’s leader”.

The front page of Belgian newspaper De Standaard features a photograph of the outgoing prime minister’s face under the words: “The end now seems really close. Depopulation in British government continues, but Johnson remains stubborn”.

One of Russia’s leading titles, Argumenty i Fakty, features a photograph of Mr Johnson across the top of its website with the headline “British prime minister Boris Johnson resigns”.

A separate article on the website inaccurately states that Theresa May is to take over as prime minister temporarily.

The Times of India also leads with the story, under the headline “Boris Johnson to resign, stay as caretaker PM until October”, while The Australian leads with “Johnson to resign as British prime minister”.

The front page of English language Chinese newspaper Global Times leads on a photograph of Mr Johnson speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, with the caption: “Johnson feels the heat”.

The National Post in Canada leads its website with “Scandal-ridden Boris Johnson to quit as UK prime minister”, going on to state that support for the outgoing leader had “evaporated during one of the most turbulent 24 hours in recent British political history”.

The foreign section of the Jamaica Gleaner leads with “Johnson battles to stay as PM amid revolt”, while a major Brazilian newspaper, Folha de S.Paulo, leads its world section with: “Boris Johnson tries to hold onto post amid clamour for resignation”.