Sydney | The prime minister of Australia’s most populous state resigned Friday in a corruption investigation, leaving Sydney residents locked up for months without a leader.

Gladys Berejiklian, chief minister of the state of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, has announced she is leaving Parliament after the anti-corruption body said an investigation had been opened following suspected corruption against him.

“My resignation as prime minister could not have come at a worse time, but the moment is completely beyond my control,” Berejiklian told reporters.

I don’t want to distract attention from what should be the state government’s top priority during this pandemic, which is the well-being of our citizens. The Prime Minister has been on TV almost daily since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This conservative leader has been at the helm of this country since 2017.

A government anti-corruption body is investigating whether it favors a former friend, then a member of parliament, in making grants to its constituents. Allegations denied by Ms. Berejiklian.

Since the end of June, nearly 5 million Sydney residents have been detained, a measure that should be lifted on October 11.

The number of daily COVID-19 cases is starting to decline but NSW continues to register more than 800 cases a day.