Trump, China and cost of living characterize Australia's election campaign

Trump, China and cost of living characterize Australia's election campaign

The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will fight in a highly competitive election campaign for his office, which is expected to be characterized by the cost of living, the relationship with China and the uncertainties in the rapidly changing global order. Albanese faces a former police detective and conservative challenger who is described as a kind of "Trump Light".

election announcement and challenges

Albanese visited Australia's Governor Sam Mostyn on Friday morning to apply for the dissolution of the parliament and to announce the election date for May 3. According to Australian law, federal elections must be held every three years. May 17th was the last possible date that the Prime Minister could have voted.

"In recent years, the world has demanded a lot. In uncertain times we cannot choose the challenges that are ahead of us. But we can determine how we react," Albanese told the reporters on Friday.

economic challenges and election promises

Albaneses Left Laboratory Party strives for a second term, but faces a violent competition through the centrically rights coalition opposition, which is made up of the Liberal Party and the National Party and led by Peter Dutton. The latest surveys show a head-to-head race between the two parties around the majority of the 150 seats in the Australian House of Representatives.

Albanese, which is also known as “Albo” in Germany, was elected in 2022 and promised measures against climate change, for gender equality and political integrity. However, the popularity of the laboratory guide dropped due to a weakening economy and a failed referendum from 2023 Recognition of the indigenous peoples in the Australian constitution aimed.

Although inflation now decreases slightly after pandemic, the high costs for essential goods - such as food, apartments and electricity - have hit the Australians strongly. This week Albaneses presented her household and said goodbye to $ 17.1 billion in Australian dollars ($ 10.7 billion) of tax cuts and other measures to reduce the cost of living to fight voters that fight in a weak economy.

reactions to the tax cuts and promise of the opposition

The coalition has described and announced the tax cuts of the laboratory party as "bribery" to reject them in the event of an election victory and instead halve the energy tax. In his speech in parliament on Thursday, Dutton said that Australia was facing a “moment of fate” and warned “three more bleak years”, the laboratory members should get back to power.

The influence of the US President on the election campaign

In the course of the five-week election campaign, both Albanese and Dutton will have to deal with the economic and political uncertainty that the new US government brings with it-since Trump wants to announce the next round of tariffs on April 2.

The Australian government has already reacted to the plans for comprehensive tariffs from 25 % to all steel and aluminum imports by describing them as "completely unjustified" and "against the spirit of the constant friendship between our two nations", but at the same time it explained that Canberra was not adopted.

The attitude to the relationship with China

The choice of 2022 was significantly shaped by concerns regarding China when the relationships were heavily burdened. Dutton had represented a hard line compared to China in the past. During his term as Defense Minister, he warned of a war with China and received a complaint from Beijing after accusing the China (KPCh) Communist Party to carry out cyber attacks and suppress freedom of expression.

Under Albanese has improved the relationship with China and some commercial barriers have been broken down. Dutton itself seems to be a little more reserved in his attitude towards China; In January he said that relationships with China would be stronger than under the Albanese government, which was reported by the ABC.

political race and the possibility of a minority government

Since the surveys are so tight, analysts have explained that a minority government is quite realistic. There are currently 19 MPs from independent and small parties in parliament, and only a few have signaled their willingness to support a minority government. "A minority government is imminent," said Greens boss Adam Bandt at a press conference on Friday morning.

The voting is mandatory for all over 18 years in Australia, and the country's election authority indicates the number of citizens entitled to vote with 18.3 million