Australia's Opposition Coalition Reunites After Election Split

Australia's long-standing conservative coalition between the Liberal and National parties has officially reunited just a week after a rare split following their significant election defeat. The brief division, the first since the 1980s, was sparked by disagreements over key policies including nuclear energy, supermarket divestiture powers, and regional investment. After negotiations, the parties resolved their differences, with the Liberals agreeing in principle to the Nationals' demands, enabling the coalition to present a united opposition to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government. Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who replaced former leader Peter Dutton post-election, emphasized the strength and necessity of the partnership moving forward and announced a new shadow cabinet with Nationals' leader David Littleproud. The coalition holds at least 43 seats in the Australian lower house, while Labor maintains a record majority. The reunification marks a critical step for the conservative bloc to rebuild and hold the government accountable in the federal parliament.