Anthony Albanese: Australia’s Labor opposition elects new leader

BBC News :

Australia’s Labor opposition has chosen Anthony Albanese as its new leader after the party suffered an upset in the nation’s general election.

Previous leader Bill Shorten resigned on 18 May, immediately after conceding the election to incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Albanese, a veteran politician, was elected unopposed as his successor.

He vowed to rebuild Labor’s vote, saying on Monday: “I am up for a hard job. I am up for hard work.”

“I intend to do my best to work with the Australian people to ensure that we elect a Labor government next time.”

Labor is reeling from the election which delivered Mr Morrison’s conservative coalition a majority. The Liberal-Nationals had previously been in minority government.

Last week, Mr Albanese described the election loss as “devastating”, after months of opinion polls had indicated that Labor was expected to win.

The 56-year-old MP, from Sydney, has held senior positions in past Labor governments.

He previously lost the last ballot for the Labor leadership to Mr Shorten in 2013.