Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd announced on Wednesday he was quitting politics, two months after being ousted from office by Tony Abbott.
The 55-year-old Labor stalwart, who led Australia twice and was foreign minister in Julia Gillard’s government, said he would leave parliament at the end of the week.
“This has been the product of much soul-searching for us as a family over the last few months,” he told parliament in an emotional evening speech.
“The decision that I have made has not been taken lightly.
“But for me, my family is everything, always has been, always will be, which is why I will not be continuing as a member of this parliament beyond this week.”
Since being soundly defeated by Abbott in September 7 elections, senior figures within Labor have urged him to quit, saying he would be a destabilising influence after three years of bitter infighting within the party.