SYDNEY ¨C Australia¡¯s former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Friday resigned from parliament, a source familiar with the matter said, stripping the government of its one-seat parliamentary majority.

Turnbull last week said he would resign from parliament after he was ousted from office in a bitter party-room contest that ushered in the country¡¯s sixth leader in the last decade.

¡°The speaker of the house of parliament received a resignation letter from Malcolm Turnbull this afternoon,¡± said a source familiar with the matter. The source declined to be named as she is not authorized to talk to the media.

Until a by-election can be contested, Australia¡¯s new Prime Minister Scott Morrison is left relying on the support of independent lawmakers to pass legislation, inhibiting the government¡¯s agenda just eight months out from an election.

Besides no longer having a majority in the lower house of parliament, the government does not control the upper house Senate.

According to the latest opinion polls Australia¡¯s ruling Liberal-National coalition will struggle to be re-elected in a poll due by May 2019.

After a tumultuous Liberal party leadership battle last week, the two-party-preferred vote between the opposition Labor party and the coalition blew out 56-44 in favor of Labor, which would translate into a heavy election defeat.

Parliament is currently in recess, resuming on Sept. 10.

A by-election is unlikely to held until the end of September at the earliest, leaving Morrison without a majority for at least the next two-week sitting of parliament.

Morrison paid tribute to his predecessor while in Jakarta for talks with his Indonesian counterpart on a free trade deal that could be signed later this year.

¡°I just want to send to my friend Malcolm, and to Lucy (his wife), and to their entire family all my best wishes and all my love,¡± Morrison told reporters.

¡°You¡¯ve served our country well, and on behalf of our country as prime minister, I just want to say thanks.¡±