 After Mussolini received a vote of no confidence from the Fascist Grand Council on 24 July, Victor Emmanuel dismissed him from office, relinquished the Ethiopian and Albanian crowns, and appointed Pietro Badoglio as prime minister.On 8 September the new government announced it had signed an armistice with the Allies five days earlier.However, Victor Emmanuel made another blunder when he and his government fled south to Brindisi, leaving his army without orders.