Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has stepped down as leader of the United Conservative Party after narrowly winning the party's leadership vote.
Kenney received 51.4 per cent support in voting results released tonight in Calgary.
He told supporters that the number is not what he hoped for and is not enough for him to continue on as leader.
If Kenney had received less than 50 per cent plus one, he would have had to quit as per party rules and a leadership contest would have been called.
Normally, leaders consider 75 to 80 per cent _ or higher _ the minimum credible mandate to continue leading their party.
Kenney had earlier said he would accept a slim majority, because the voting pool was skewed by last-minute members interested only in scuttling his big-tent conservative party.