Left-oriented Prime Minister wins Australian general election
In a period of worldwide chaos, Australians embraced change, with Albanese's Labor Party set to claim an unexpectedly large parliamentary majority. Former police officer Peter Dutton, the hard-nosed opposition leader, suffered the rare humiliation of losing his seat.
ABC projections indicated a landslide victory for Labor, with the party capturing 85 seats out of the 150-member parliament thus far. Dutton's coalition held 41 seats, while other parties accounted for nine, and another 15 were undecided.
In his victory speech, Albanese expressed optimism and determination in the face of global uncertainties, stating, "Today the Australian people have voted for Australian values. For fairness, aspiration, and opportunity for all."
Ecstatic Labor supporters celebrate with craft beers emblazoned with Albanese's likeness in Sydney, chanting his "Albo" nickname as TV declared the results.
Albanese's promises include embracing renewable energy, addressing the housing crisis, and investing in the healthcare system. On the other hand, Dutton advocated for slashing immigration, cracking down on crime, and establishing nuclear power plants.
Trump's presidency cast a long shadow over the six-week election campaign, sparking intense global interest in the election's outcome. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Albanese, calling Australia a "valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States."
Politics lecturer Henry Maher from Sydney suggested that in times of instability, people tend to gravitate towards steady leaders. Dutton's policy of cutting the public service was criticized as similar cuts led by Elon Musk caused chaos in the United States. His proposal for nuclear reactors was also viewed as a liability.
"Our government will choose the Australian way," Albanese said during his victory speech on Saturday night. "We do not need to beg, or borrow, or copy from anywhere else. We do not seek our inspiration from overseas."
In a pre-vote poll, some voters expressed concerns about Dutton's association with Trump, whom they perceived as unpredictable and dangerous. Australia's voting is mandatory, with fines for non-compliance leading to consistently high turnouts.
As Australians grew disillusioned with Trump, both Dutton and Albanese adopted more confrontational tones. Economic issues, such as the high cost of living and taxes, dominated the campaign for many struggling households.
The election campaign was otherwise relatively uneventful, with brief moments of levity, such as when Albanese tripped off the stage at a rally, and Dutton inadvertently hit a cameraman with a football.
International leaders offered their congratulations to Albanese and expressed a desire to strengthen relationships with Australia. The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, praised Australia's support during the ongoing Russian war.
- Peter Dutton, the former police officer and opposition leader in Australia, faced a rare humiliation as he lost his seat in the parliament, with ABC projections indicating a landslide victory for the Labor Party capturing 85 seats out of the 150-member parliament.
- The victory speech of the future prime minister, Anthony Albanese, expressed optimism and determination in the face of global uncertainties, stating that the Australian people had voted for Australian values.
- Among Albanese's promises are embracing renewable energy, addressing the housing crisis, and investing in the healthcare system, while Dutton advocated for slashing immigration, cracking down on crime, and establishing nuclear power plants.
- The election's outcome sparked intense global interest, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulating Albanese, calling Australia a "valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States."
- The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, praised Australia's support during the ongoing Russian war, with international leaders offering their congratulations to Albanese and expressing a desire to strengthen relationships with Australia.
- In times of instability, people tend to gravitate towards steady leaders, according to politics lecturer Henry Maher from Sydney, who criticized Dutton's policy of cutting the public service as similar cuts led by Elon Musk caused chaos in the United States.
- Economic issues, such as the high cost of living and taxes, dominated the campaign for many struggling households, as Australians grew disillusioned with Trump, both Dutton and Albanese adopted more confrontational tones.
