Tony Abbott has been ousted as prime minister of Australia after he lost 54-44 in a Liberal Party Vote and was replaced by Malcolm Turnbull.

Abbott had faced widespread negative criticism and mounting dissatisfaction within his party. Recent polls have showed that Turnbull is the preferred prime minister, according to Sky News.

Turnbull is expected to be sworn in and take his seat as the new PM after Abbott writes to the Governor General and then resigns from his position. The Liberal MP's have also voted for Julie Bishop to stay as deputy leader of the party.

Turnbull had said earlier in the day that the coalition government would lose the next election if Abbott would be re-elected as PM at a press conference in Canberra, according to the BBC.

Turnbull said that he did not take the decision lightly. However, he admitted that it was "clear enough that the government is not successful in providing the economic leadership" that the country needed and that it needed a new style of leadership.

"We need to restore traditional cabinet government. There must be an end to policy on the run and captain's calls," Turnbull said in his speech, according to The Guardian.