Australia's ruling party leads opposition ahead of crucial elections

ANKARA

Just days ahead of Australia's May 3 elections, the ruling Labor Party leads the opposition Coalition with incumbent Prime Minister Anthony Albanese considered the preferred choice for another term, the latest poll survey said on Sunday.

Albanese is leading Opposition Leader Peter Dutton by 53.3% to 46.5%, according to YouGov polling -- a 0.5% increase from the 18 April poll -- the local broadcaster SBS News reported.

Polling throughout the five-week campaign has consistently shown Albanese strengthen his lead as the preferred prime minister over Dutton, as the Labor Party has surged to its highest two-party-preferred rating this term.

Labor also leads on the primary vote for the first time this term, logging 33.5% compared to the Coalition's 31%.

If the ongoing trend persists at next week's election, this would mark the lowest primary vote ever recorded by the Coalition since the Liberal Party’s founding in 1944.

With early voting already underway, some 18,098,797 enrolled Australians -- 98.2% of those eligible, a record national enrolment rate -- prepare to cast their vote by 6 pm local time (0800GMT) next Saturday.

Cost of living, housing, healthcare, and migration remain key election issues as both parties have promised cost-of-living relief measures and economic management.