Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull set the stage for early elections on July 2, despite signs his personal popularity is sagging, by recalling parliament in the boldest gamble of his short leadership.
Parliament will be recalled from its seven-week recess to sit on April 18, Turnbull said on Monday, to vote on labor reform bills that are likely to be blocked in the upper house Senate by smaller parties such as the influential Greens and the main center-left opposition Labor Party.
The release of the 2015/16 national budget would also be moved forward by one week to May 3, he said.