‘Anti-Trump’: World reacts to Albanese win, Dutton ousted

Hours after Anthony Albanese won a landslide election, newspapers around the world are declaring the result a win for anti-Trump politics.

Saturday’s landslide election win for Anthony Albanese is being viewed the same way around the world as two words are repeated over and over.

The result that saw Peter Dutton come face-to-face with the worst possible outcome — a resounding defeat and being ousted from his seat of Dickson — can be attributed at least in part to the “Anti-Trump” factor, according to media watching from afar.

“Dutton was seen by many as Australia’s Trump,” the BBC’s Tiffany Turnbull wrote today.

“(It) appeared to go down badly with voters, despite his attempts to shake off comparisons made between his policies on immigration, public sector cuts and China, and the Trump administration.”

CNN described the result in similar terms.

“Observers will be examining the results for signs of blowback against Australia’s conservative candidates from US President Trump’s whirlwind 100 days in office – after comparisons were drawn between Dutton’s policy offerings and those of the US leader,” the US broadcaster wrote.

Hours after Anthony Albanese’s landslide election win, newspapers around the world declared the result a victory for ‘anti-Trump’ politics.

CNN noted that Australia had appeared to follow Commonwealth compatriat Canada in pushing back against far-right politics.

“Another center-left prime minister, Mark Carney of Canada — which like Australia is a G20 nation, as well as US ally — recently scored an election win widely chalked up to anti-Trump sentiment.”

The Washington Post described the win for Labor as “buoyed by anti-Trump bump”.

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a major comeback after trailing in polls, while conservative leader Peter Dutton, hurt by Trumpian tendencies, lost his seat,” the Post wrote.

The New York Post took a similar view of the Trump link to Australia’s election result.

“Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor Party was projected to win elections, broadcasters said on Saturday, in a comeback against once-resurgent conservatives powered by concerns about the influence of US President Donald Trump.”

The New York Times cited Trump’s tariff war as a key factor in the way Aussies had voted Saturday.

“A superpower loomed large as Australians headed to the polls. It wielded trade barriers as a means of political coercion, imperiling Australia’s export-dependent economy,” the Times wrote.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese waves beside his partner Jodie Haydon. Picture Saeed Khan / AFP

“Three years ago that country was China, which had imposed punishing restrictions on many Australian exports, sent spy ships lurking near Australia’s west coast and struck an alarming military pact with a regional neighbor, the Solomon Islands.

“This time, as Australians cast ballots on Saturday, that external factor is the United States and President Trump.”

Australia’s former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull piled on, too, telling BBC Newshour that Dutton ran a “very Trumpian campaign” and the US president was “the mood music that had a very big influence on how people perceived” the Coalition.

Senior Liberals who spoke to news.com.au said the same thing — that Trump and the Coalition campaign could not be separated.

“Honestly, easily, the single biggest factor is Trump,’’ a senior Liberal MP told news.com.au.“He has just smashed us.

“It’s a less dramatic version of what’s happened in Canada. The Canadian conservatives have lost 20 points in the polls over this. It’s the same phenomenon.”

World leaders from Ukraine to India and the UK sent congratulations to returning PM Albanese while, as of Sunday morning, Donald Trump was yet to reach out.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent his best to Albanese, describing the relationship between the US and Australia as an “enduring alliance”.

“Australia is a valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States,” he said in a statement.

“The United States looks forward to deepening its relationship with Australia to advance our common interests and promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also quick to contratulate the Labor party for its victory.

“Ukraine sincerely values Australia’s unwavering support and its principled stance on ending Russia’s war and securing a dignified and lasting peace,” he said in a statement.

“We look forward to further strengthening our productive partnership.”

New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon spoke directly with his nearest neighbour.

“I have been in touch with Mr Albanese to offer my congratulations on retaining office,” he said.

“When we spoke, Mr Albanese and I affirmed our strong working relationship. New Zealand has no better friend and no greater ally than Australia. Working together is even more important now as we both face the most challenging global environment in decades. We are stronger on the world stage together.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Mr Albanese on a range of issues including our shared security, partnering in the Pacific, and making the trans-Tasman business environment ever more seamless.”

UK leader Keir Starmer also issued a statement of congratulations, describing the two nations as “close as ever”.

“I know that we will continue to work together on our shared ambitions,” he wrote on social media.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Albanese’s election win would strengthen ties between the India and Australia.

“Congratulations on your resounding victory and re-election. This emphatic mandate indicates the enduring faith of the Australian people in your leadership,” he said.

‘Can someone explain?’: Conservatives lose their minds

Meanwhile, right-wing commentators overseas are losing it over the Australian election results.

It had looked like a golden age of conservatism was brewing for some as President Trump swept to power in the US, far-right parties made big gains in Europe and, just this week, the UK’s Reform party made waves in the nation’s local elections.

However, Canada and and now Australia have bucked the trend, leaving some confused.

One graph showing how Labor surged ahead of the Coalition has gone viral on X — drawing scorn from conservatives around the world.

Some are stunned by the result.

“Can someone explain what’s happened in Australia for me please?” asked one prominent right-wing commentator in the UK. “I understand that the Liberal Party is the same as our Conservative Party, and that Labour are communists (like our Labour). Why did this happen?”

One Aussie commenter gave their two cents:

“The liberal party have been moving more to the left with each year, betraying core conservative principles. I couldn’t believe the amount of times the liberals agreed and backed policies of Labor, it was the most uniparty I’ve ever seen,” he said.

“On top of this, unfortunately our more conservative independent parties are very unorganised and ununified. Some of them even listed their preference order for Labor over other independents or even the liberals, meaning voting for some of them was just giving a vote to Labor.

“Our mainstream media is very biased and woke, especially the ABC, and it’s sad how many Australians still rely on them for news.”