[Marc]

Julia Gillard is to step down as Australia's first female prime minister after she lost a party leadership vote to Kevin Rudd.

Mr Rudd will lead the country for a second time, with months to go until a general election, after winning the Labor Party ballot by 57 votes to 45.

Ms Gillard, who ousted Mr Rudd as leader in 2010, called the vote earlier amid reports that her predecessor's supporters were gearing up for a fresh challenge.

Opinion polls had shown that the party could face huge losses in the September elections, but that Mr Rudd would be a more popular leader than Ms Gillard.

The country's first female leader has pledged to quit politics after the elections.