Accessibility links

Breaking News

Australia Prime Minister Has 'Miracle' Election Win


Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media as he arrives at the Horizon Church in Sutherland in Sydney, Australia, May 19, 2019. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett/via Reuters)
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media as he arrives at the Horizon Church in Sutherland in Sydney, Australia, May 19, 2019. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett/via Reuters)

Australia's prime minister went to his Pentecostal church Sunday after nailing a surprise victory Saturday in the country's general election.

Polls had indicated that Scott Morrison and his conservative Liberal-National coalition government were sure to loose.

The polls, however, were wrong.

Morrison was swept back into office, leaving the pollsters and the opposition Labor Party scratching their heads wondering how they miscalculated the odds.

"I have always believed in miracles," Morrison told a cheering crowd Saturday.

U.S. President Donald Trump, whose presidential victory was also a shock to pollsters and the U.S. Democratic party, called Morrison to offer his congratulations. The White House said "the two leaders reaffirmed the critical importance of the long-standing alliance and friendship between the United States and Australia."

  • 16x9 Image

    VOA News

    The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.

XS
SM
MD
LG