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Tony Abbott Elected Lib Party President
Tony Abbott will take the party’s top organisational role as critics warn the Liberals could move further right.
On Friday, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott was elected unopposed as Federal President of the Liberal Party in Melbourne, regarding it as his duty to serve during a time of "existential crisis."
The Liberal Party has grappled with restoring voter confidence since its worst election defeat in modern history last year, which reduced the Coalition to 43 seats in the lower house.
Aiming to recruit at least 250,000 members, Abbott told party faithful the organization must position itself as the "patriot party" to address a "spiritual malaise" affecting Australian society.
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described Abbott as "clearly a masochist," while Independent MP Zali Steggall warned the Liberals have "learned nothing from the last three elections."
Abbott plans to lead a "people's revolt" to help Opposition Leader Angus Taylor win the next election, urging the party to fight the "battle of ideas" daily to win back voters.