Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday that the official call for a general election is imminent, with voting scheduled to take place in May. While he refrained from specifying an exact date, he assured that the announcement would come soon.
In a move seen as a bid to win voter support, Albanese’s government successfully passed a bill in the Senate on Wednesday night introducing tax cuts as part of the federal budget. The legislation will provide Australians with gradual tax reductions beginning in 2026, followed by further relief in 2027. However, the opposition Liberal-National Coalition has pledged to repeal these cuts and instead lower fuel excise if they win the election.
The upcoming election, set to take place by May 17, will see Australians elect new lawmakers for both the House of Representatives and the Senate. With 150 House seats and 40 Senate seats up for grabs, the contest is expected to be highly competitive. In the last election, Albanese’s Labor Party secured 77 seats, while the opposition coalition held 58.
