From: Agence France-Presse May 3, 2025 Left-leaning PM Albanese triumphs in Australian election; opposition leader Dutton loses seat in parliament
Incumbent, who has been criticized over surge in antisemitism, wins contest defined by rising cost of living and Trump tariffs;
Australia’s left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese triumphed Saturday in national elections, crushing his conservative rival in a contest swayed by economic upheaval and Donald Trump.
Albanese’s slow-but-steady leadership resonated at a time of global tumult, analysts said, with voters deserting hard-nosed opposition leader Dutton in droves.
Not only was Albanese’s Labor Party on track for an unexpectedly large parliamentary majority, but former police officer Dutton faced the rare humiliation of losing his seat. Albanese has promised to embrace renewable energy, tackle a worsening housing crisis, and pour money into a creaking healthcare system.
The center-right opposition also accused Albanese of being weak on crime and failing to address surging antisemitism, which has surged since the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked the war in the Gaza Strip.
In February, Australia passed tough anti-hate crime laws to address the spiking Jew hatred.
