Why has the U.K. had 6 prime ministers in less than 10 years?

London — Number 10 Downing Street in London, with its famous glossy black door, has had its fair share of occupants in its nearly 300-year history as the official home of Britain's prime minister. The building was home to Winston Churchill for a total of nine years; and then the "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher for nearly 12, spanning the 1980s. Tony Blair lived there for a decade, from 1997 until 2007. But over the last 10 years, British leaders have barely had time to unpack their boxes before making way for the next occupant. Six prime ministers have inhabited the official residence since 2016 — including four over the last four years alone. How British leaders are chosen Voters in the United Kingdom do not directly elect their prime minister in the same way Americans elect a president. Instead, voters elect members of the British Parliament's lower House of Commons to represent their local constituencies, and the leader of the party that wins a majority of the seats in the house generally becomes the prime minister. Political parties can, through internal elections, replace their leaders at any time — even if that person is the prime minister — if they lose the confidence of sufficient members. If a sitting party leader resigns from that position or is toppled, they will also cede the premiership. …