CANBERRA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has won a by-election and will return to parliament after the High Court disqualified him.
Joyce, leader of the Nationals Party, was found to be in breach of Section 44 (i) of the Australian Constitution which prohibits dual citizens from being elected.
Joyce has since renounced his New Zealand citizenship, which he held by descent, and on Saturday won the by-election in his New South Wales seat of New England.
Projections on Sunday had Joyce receiving 64 percent of primary votes, a big upswing from the 52.3 percent he received at the last federal election.
The result has provided a much needed boost for the Liberal National Party governing coalition after a poor performance in the Queensland state election.
"Barnaby Joyce has been elected with what appears to be a record in the history of by-elections in Australia," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Joyce's supporters on Saturday night.
"Thank you for getting the band back together."
Though 16 candidates ran against Joyce, the deputy prime minister was never considered to be at threat of losing the seat.
"I say to the people of New England, that I never take anything for granted, and for every person who voted for us and voted for us for the first time," Joyce said.
"I just want to say how completely and utterly humbled I am."
The second by-election caused by the citizenship crisis in the Sydney seat of Bennelong is expected to be much closer with Australian Labor Party candidate Kristina Keneally gaining ground on incumbent John Alexander in opinion polls.
The Bennelong by-election will be held on Dec. 16.
