Labor retains power in Australia after winning an election dominated by Trump.

SydneyIn a radio interview, the Prime Minister is asked to choose an all-time hit. Anthony Albanese responds that "there is no other anthem than Am And ever gonna see your face again?("Will I Ever See Your Face Again?" by The Angels). No one expected this response in the studio. Albanese laughs. "I'm sure almost all the listeners got the joke," he concludes confidently, "it's obvious who it's aimed at."

Peter Dutton, a Liberal since the age of 18, has lost his seat after 21 years in the worst results for the Liberals since their creation in the 1940s. In a campaign contaminated by American politics, Dutton has tried to distance himself from Trump after trying to copy his style, turning around polls that in February had them as losers. Albanese will be the first leader in 21 years to win back-to-back elections. And it's the first time a prime minister has extended their majority beyond a first term. "We shouldn't look abroad for inspiration," she asserted during her victory speech, "we have it here, in our values and our people." "Almost from the start, it looked like a three-way race with Donald Trump," comments Andrea Carson, professor of political communication at La Trobe University, "what we've seen is him capturing at least 15% of the headlines."

Australia, which has been hit with 10% tariffs and with which the United States has a trade surplus, will remain under Labor rule for another three years with a program of gradual reforms. "Some of the most important areas of legislation have been neglected, or only very few details have been given about how Australia will address some of the most complex issues it faces," Carson concludes about the campaign.

While the last five weeks have been focused on the cost of living, neither major party has been willing to get bogged down with major reforms in areas such as the NDIS (the national disability scheme), climate change, violence against women, Indigenous affairs, or housing, where the two major parties have almost 70% of their families as homeowners.

Traditional vote

"The other reason to vote for someone is tradition," Carson points out, "and at the same time, those who feel they are more competent or will protect them." This is an idea that the Labor government has been able to convey thanks to its budget, the expansion of social services, and the improvement of relations with China, the country's largest trading partner. "The Trump administration sees things through the lens of economic competition; thus, key allies like Japan and Korea are not just strategic allies, but competitors," notes Bec Strating, director of La Trobe Asia and professor of International Relations: "It's not at all clear what Trump wants to do with Asia."

But support for the alliance with the United States continues to enjoy the backing of both major Australian parties. Specifically, Richard Marles, as Minister of Defense, authorized the first payment of the AUKUS defense pact with the United Kingdom and Washington last February, and allocated 800 million Australian dollars (450 million euros) to the US administration for the first Virginia nuclear submarines.

Furthermore, both the Conservative Coalition and Labor agree on increasing military spending, as requested by US Defense Secretary Elbridge Colby. Strating believes it does not depend on who governs, but admits that it would be "worrying" if the United States opted for isolation. "In terms of breaking up the alliance, it would probably be something the US would do, not Australia," he concludes.

In his opinion, the alliance will continue to be the cornerstone of Australian foreign policy: "The United States is leaving holes, and other countries will fill them," Strating adds. "If Australia doesn't want this to happen, it needs to make an effort."