Jacinta Allan has stepped down. Labor. Deputy Ben Carroll a has been sworn in as Victoria’s next Premier.
MELBOURNE, 28 July 2026 — Ben Carroll has been sworn in the new Premier after Jacinta Allan resigned on Monday, ending her term that began in September 2023.
“I have made the difficult decision to step aside as leader of the Labor Party and Premier of Victoria. Should Ben Carroll emerge as our next Labor Premier, he will have my congratulations and my unqualified support., The outgoing Premier said in a statement.
The resignation follows a caucus meeting on 26 July where Labor’s Left and Right faction conveners concluded Ms Allan no longer commanded majority support. On 27 July, a cross-factional delegation of senior ministers asked her to step aside. She declined and called for a leadership election.
The contest was between Ms Allan, MP for Bendigo East, and her Deputy Ben Carroll, MP for Niddrie. The Labor caucus then elected the 50th Premier to lead the party into the November 2026 state election.
Ms Allan became Premier on 27 September 2023 after Daniel Andrews resigned. She was only the second woman to lead the state after Joan Kirner. Her time in office was marked by cost-of-living pressures, a major housing policy push, and growing state debt projected to reach $226 billion by the end of the term.
Mr Carroll has served as Deputy Premier since 2023 and has held key portfolios including Economic Growth and Jobs. He previously challenged for the leadership during the 2023 transition.
