Wenjun Jing is a writer and researcher based in New York City. Follow him on Twitter @wendyju.

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Ruth Davidson has refused to confirm that she intends to seek a second stint as the leader of the UK Conservative Party. The politician was once a rising star on the Tory leadership bandwagon.

In the wake of the Brexit referendum on March 23, though, and the vote last year to leave the European Union, however, Davidson’s public support has dwindled, in part due to a series of controversies. She was heavily criticized this summer following her defense of Theresa May and her refusal to back immigration restrictions during the campaign. It’s also rumored that Davidson is not ready to formally serve as the leader.

Now, her decision to remain mum on the subject has put the prime minister in a difficult position. Conservatives are now divided over whether Davidson is still an asset to Conservative success or a liability.

Why hasn’t she formally announced her intention to keep her job, though? And why keep it a secret? If she is leaving, what will happen to the party as she leaves? And how will the Conservative Party change?

The short answer is that there’s little sense to keep it a secret. It would make the Conservative Party look like a political circus. And Davidson would no doubt find many more enemies against whom she could point for making a strong case for staying. In the event of a leadership contest, she could face a crowded primary field.

But the longer answer is that Davidson is a difficult leader to lead and has become the subject of many controversies over the years. In fact, her leadership record is almost the definition of an ideological mess.

From the time she was chosen as her party’s candidate for prime minister in 2015, Davidson has maintained a relatively neutral position on many issues. She never opposed extending the lifetime of the so-called “triple lock” on future public spending, unlike many of her fellow party members. She also stood firmly against a proposal to introduce an in-out referendum on exiting the European Union, as one of her cabinet colleagues suggested, arguing in favor of staying in.

In a country where a woman can’t just be elected prime minister like most other developed countries, Davidson is a rare example of a politician willing to challenge a politically difficult line,