Australian PM Albanese secures second term in election turnaround

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese secured a second term in office on Saturday, marking a comeback for his Labor Party in the polls. Albanese and the Labor Party won at least 70 seats out of 150 in the House, with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation declaring the election shortly after polls closed. The 62-year-old first became prime minister in 2022 and has been leading the Labor Party since 2019. Despite trailing in polls a month ago due to a wave of populism, Albanese’s victory signifies a shift in voter sentiment away from conservative policies. With final results yet to be confirmed, the Labor Party is expected to exceed 80 seats, enough to secure a majority government. Peter Dutton, leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, lost his seat in Queensland and acknowledged Albanese’s win. Dutton, who had held the seat for 24 years, had aimed to form a conservative coalition government in the country, where voting is mandatory. The election saw a high turnout, with around 4.8 million people voting early.