(CNN) -- Two independent lawmakers from rural Australia broke a parliamentary deadlock on Tuesday, giving the country its first elected female prime minister.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who replaced Kevin Rudd as leader of the center-left Labor Party in June, now has the votes to form a government, but lacks a mandate.
A national election on August 21 didn't produce a clear winner. That pitted Gillard against conservative Tony Abbott in the quest for the independents' support. Gillard and Abbott needed 76 votes for a parliamentary majority.
Independent parliament members Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor held the upper hand in down-to-the-wire political deal-making. In the final hour, Katter announced that he would cast his vote with Abbott. Then Windsor and Oakeshott sided with Gillard.
CNN
