Australia’s Victoria state has a new premier after the governing Labor Party elected Ben Carroll as its new leader following the resignation of Jacinta Allan on Tuesday.
Carroll, who previously served as Victoria’s deputy premier, was elected unopposed to lead the state, which is home to Melbourne and is Australia’s second-most populous state.
Allan stepped down after leading Victoria since 2023, following months of declining approval ratings amid a sluggish economy and growing voter fatigue after Labor’s 12 years in power.
The leadership change comes just months before the state’s November election, which is expected to be closely watched as a key test of support for the right-wing One Nation party.
Recent opinion polls have suggested the centre-right Liberal Party is on track to win the election, although some indicate it may need One Nation’s support to form a government.
Before announcing her resignation, Allan warned that a potential Liberal-One Nation coalition remained the biggest risk facing the upcoming election.
Founded in 1997, One Nation has gained increasing support in recent years, with its tough stance on immigration boosting the popularity of party leader Pauline Hanson.
On Monday, an Australian court dismissed Hanson’s appeal against a ruling that she had racially discriminated against a Muslim senator after telling her to “piss off back to Pakistan.”
Allan said she believed she could have survived a leadership challenge within Labor but chose to step aside to avoid internal divisions and allow the party to focus on the election campaign.
