An "Albanian" is elected the new Prime Minister of Australia

Anthony Albanese will become Australia's first non-Anglo-Celtic Prime Minister.

Albanese will form the first Labor government in almost a decade, defeating Scott Morrison in today's election.

However, it is still unclear whether it will be the leadership of the majority or in coalition with independents and smaller parties.

Who is Albanian?

Albanese has earned a reputation as an advocate for Australia's free healthcare system, an LGBT community advocate, a Republican and an avid rugby league fan.

The 59-year-old nicknamed "Albo" was raised in social housing by a single mother with a disability pension. He has often cited his education as the basis for his progressive beliefs.

"Albo" believed that his father had died before he was born, but as a teenager he learned that his mother had become pregnant by a married man - who was most likely still alive - while traveling in Europe.

Three decades later, he found Carlo Albanese, flying to Italy to meet him and his half-brothers.

Immediately, Albanese has revealed that his mother, Maryanne Ellery, was determined that he had possibilities that she never had. With her support, he became the first in his family to finish school and go to university.

He has said that creating a better world for his son, Nathan, is the inspiration behind his public life.

Albanese separated from his wife after 19 years in 2019, but his partner Jodie Haydon joins the campaign.

MP for 25 years

Active in the Labor Party from an early age, Albanese worked in both federal and state politics before being elected, on his 33rd birthday, to a seat in the city of Sydney in 1996.

But it would be a decade before he enjoyed governing.

In 2007, when Labor came to power under Kevin Rudd, Albanese became Minister of Infrastructure and Transport.

He remained an influential figure as the party entered a turbulent period after replacing Rudd with Julia Gillard in 2010.

Kur Rudd rifitoi kryeministrinë në vitin 2013, mbështetja e Albanese e bëri atë të lartësohej në zëvendëskryeministër. Ai e mbajti postin vetëm për dhjetë javë, sepse laburistët humbën zgjedhjet.

Albanese më pas u paraqit si lider i Laburistëve.

Pavarësisht se ishte i popullarizuar në mesin e anëtarëve të partisë, rivali Bill Shorten pati më shumë mbështetje midis deputetëve dhe u bë lider i opozitës.

Pasi Shorten konkurroi pa sukses në dy zgjedhje, Albanese u zgjodh si lider i partisë në 2019-ën.

Albanese ka qenë zëri kryesor i fraksionit të majtë të Partisë së Punës, por që kur u bë lider, ai u pozicionua drejt qendrës.

Ai u ka qëndruar besnik rrënjëve të tij të punës, duke premtuar se do të shpenzojë shumë për të përmirësuar sektorin e trazuar të kujdesit për të moshuarit në vend, për të rigjallëruar industrinë e tij prodhuese, për të ofruar kujdes më të lirë për fëmijët dhe për të përmirësuar barazinë e pagave gjinore.

Laburistët janë angazhuar gjithashtu për mbajtjen e një referendumi për përfshirjen në Kushtetutë të një Zëri Indigjen në Parlament – organ këshillues që do t’u jepte banorëve aborigjenë dhe banorëve të ishullit të ngushticës Torres një rol në formimin e politikave që i prekin ata.

Por, Albanese, në të njëjtën kohë, ka këmbëngulur se ai “nuk është zgjuar” – një apel për votuesit më konservatorë që braktisën partinë në zgjedhjet e vitit 2019.

This has included withdrawing his support for more aggressive climate action policies, fueling harsher rhetoric towards China and national security.

He has also backed Australia's controversial policy of turning away any arriving asylum seekers by boat - something he once publicly opposed.

His conservative opponents have sought to take advantage of the change, calling it "Albo in every direction".