The slogan Liz Truss used to win her 45 days as Prime Minister was "Liz for Leader".

Is the latest success slogan: "Bring Boris back"?

In the night to Friday, rumors grew that Boris Johnson, who only left office in September, wants to succeed his successor.

Although he has not yet declared himself, dozens of MPs have spoken out in favor of him as the new party leader and prime minister.

The followers, reported Johnson's house newspaper "Daily Telegraph", had been asked to do so by confidants of Johnson.

Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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The contenders for the fifth Conservative prime minister in six and a half years have no time to waste.

The candidatures must be registered by Monday, 2 a.m. local time.

The hurdle is high: Anyone who wants to compete in the parliamentary group elections must have been nominated by at least 100 MPs.

The “1922 Committee” responsible for the elections wants to ensure that the field remains manageable this time.

Eleven candidates stood in the last elections in the summer.

This time there can be a maximum of three, because the faction has only 357 members.

The observers in Westminster can hardly keep up with the count of public support intentions.

Some see Johnson ahead, others Rishi Sunak, Johnson's former Treasury Secretary, whose resignation hastened Johnson's fall.

In third place is Penny Mordaunt, who currently holds the office of Leader of the House and who finished third in the last party leadership election behind Truss and Sunak.

This may change if other candidates try their luck and thus reduce following for one of the three favourites.

Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace has already dropped himself.

Johnson would not be the first returnee

Should Sunak and Mordaunt declare their candidacy, it would not be a surprise.

Sunak is considered the natural successor because he narrowly lost during the leadership contest to the Prime Minister, who failed shortly afterwards.

He is also credited with early warning of the upheaval that would follow Truss's economic and financial programs.

As a recognized financial expert and charismatic speaker who, as a Brexit supporter, is not assigned to the right-wing circle of the party, Sunak is considered by many to be the most suitable person, but not for everyone.

Many, particularly on the right wing of the party, resent his resignation and blame him for overthrowing the Johnson administration.

Mordaunt, who oscillates in the center of the party, is more credited with unifying the party, but despite her candidacy in the summer, she is still comparatively unknown to the public.

Since joining the Truss government, she has made a few appearances that have won her recognition, most notably in her role as "Lord President" of the Privy Council, which helped organize the transition to King Charles' reign.