Story highlights UKIP names Paul Nuttall its new party leader

Farage had been acting as interim leader after his successor stepped down

(CNN) Paul Nuttall, a 39-year-old Member of the European Parliament, will replace Nigel Farage as leader of the UK Independence Party.

A frontrunner to take the party's reigns, having served as deputy leader for the last six years, Nuttall was elected with 62.6% of support from party members, brushing aside his main rival, Suzanne Evans, the party's former deputy chairwoman who came in second with 19.3% of votes.

A total of 32,757 ballot papers were sent to UKIP members, with 15,405 votes cast in the contest, the party said.

UKIP leadership hopefuls Suzanne Evans, left, and Paul Nuttall on November 8, 2016 in Leeds, England.

UKIP will now look to its new leader to help stabilize the party after a turbulent few months that saw several senior members quit and multiple leadership elections held.

Nuttall, the MEP for north-west England, will replace Nigel Farage, who returned to the helm as interim party leader in early October when his successor, Diane James, stepped aside after just 18 days in the job.

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