New Delhi: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday admitted defeat in his country’s national elections, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Anthony Albanese, leader of the Australian Labor Party, will take over as the nation’s next Prime Minister. “Tonight I have spoken to the leader of the opposition and the incoming prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and I have congratulated him on his election victory,” Morrison said, according to the international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. The outgoing Prime Minister noted that voter support for major parties had fallen in the election.
“I think about the upheaval that is taking place in our nation, and I think it is important for our nation to heal and to move forward,” Morrison said.
“I have no doubt under strong leadership of our coalition, three years from now I am looking forward to the return of a coalition government,” added the 54-year-old leader.
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Morrison’s remarks come as the opposition Labor Party has ousted his coalition government from power in the 2022 federal election in Australia.
The Labor party won at least 72 seats, compared with 52 for Morrison’s Liberal-National Coalition, with independents and third parties taking the rest, the Australian Broadcasting Commission said, Hindustan Times reported.
The parties in Australia need 76 seats to form a majority government in the 151-seat Parliament.
59-year-old Albanese, who will be the country’s 31st Prime Minister, has served as a member of the Parliament in Australia since 1996.
Earlier in 2013, Albanese was sworn-in as the country’s Deputy Prime Minister. Albanese, a career politician, held this role until Labor’s defeat in the elections in the same year.