Early vote count favors Australia's government being reelected for a second term

Labor Party supporters react as votes are counted in the general election at the party's election night event in Sydney on Saturday, May 3, 2025. -- Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP): Early vote counting in Australia's general election Saturday suggested the government was likely to be returned for a second term.

The Australian Electoral Commission's early projections gave the ruling center-left Labor Party 70 seats and the conservative opposition coalition 24 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, the lower chamber where parties need a majority to form governments. Unaligned minor parties and independent candidates appeared likely to win 13 seats.