A French Minister has taken a jab at outgoing Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, saying his election defeat "suits me very well".
Labor's Anthony Albanese emerged victorious over incumbent Morrison on Saturday night after a six-week campaign. It ended conservative rule in Australia that lasted nearly a decade.
Morrison's loss is being welcomed by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
"The defeat of Prime Minister Morrison suits me very well," Le Drian said on Sunday.
It comes after Morrison cancelled a multibillion-dollar submarine contract with France in 2021. The move caused outrage from French President Emmanuel Macron who called Morrison a liar in the ensuing furore.
While Le Drian celebrated Morrison's departure most other foreign leaders decided instead to congratulate Albanese on his win, including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Ardern told AM on Monday she had spoken with Albanese twice since his win and is planning a more formal meeting in the future.
"Yesterday, we talked very much about the range of things going on internationally," she told AM.
"We talked about the ability to meet sometime soon so we can talk face to face about those issues."
US President Joe Biden also called to congratulate the new leader and affirm the United States' "steadfast commitment to the US-Australia alliance".
"President Biden expressed deep appreciation for the Prime Minister-Designate’s own early commitment to the alliance, reflected in his decision to travel almost immediately to Tokyo to attend the Quad Summit—a vital opportunity to exchange views and continue to drive practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
"President Biden looks forward to a close partnership between our administrations that will benefit the American people, the Australian people, and the world, starting with consequential meetings in Japan this week," The White House said in a press release.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also issued his congratulations over the weekend.
"Our countries have a long history and a bright future together. As thriving like-minded democracies we work every day to make the world a better, safer, greener and more prosperous place," Johnson said in a statement.
"As we reap the rewards of our comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the AUKUS partnership and the unmatched closeness between the British and Australian people, we do so knowing that the only distance between us is geographical."
