Western Australia has called a state election for March 8, marking a crucial test for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party ahead of a close federal vote due by May. A strong opposition showing could increase pressure on the national government.
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook, a member of Albanese’s centre-left Labor Party, announced the election date late Wednesday, seeking a third consecutive term for Labor in the state. The party has maintained a dominant position, holding 53 of 59 seats in the state’s lower house since its landslide victory in 2021, largely credited to its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite Labor’s stronghold in the state, pressure is mounting on Albanese at the federal level. Recent polling suggests a tightening national race, with the conservative Liberal-National coalition leading Labor 51-49 in a two-party preferred vote, according to a Newspoll survey last week.
Political analyst John Phillimore said a Liberal comeback in the Western Australia election remains unlikely, citing the state’s strong economy and stable government. However, the federal Labor government has faced declining approval ratings amid concerns over rising living costs.
The Western Australia election result will be closely watched for signs of voter sentiment before the nationwide vote expected by May, where Labor faces a tougher contest to remain in power.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
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Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that additional news organisations could be barred from the White House, hours after announcing bans on CNN, MS NOW and Politico over coverage he described as “fake news”.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
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