More than two weeks after Australia's election resulted in the country's first hung parliament in 70 years, the center-left Labor Party secured another three-year term when two remaining independent lawmakers announced their support. But with just 76 of 150 seats in the lower house of parliament-the conservative Liberal-National coalition has 74-Prime Minister Julia Gillard's government will most likely have a difficult time passing legislation. Even maintaining control is a potential challenge for Labor, as the defection of just a single lawmaker would break its hold on power. Gillard (above) became Australia's first female Prime Minister in June after ousting former Labor PM Kevin Rudd in the midst of intense opposition to his tax on mining companies, which are key players in the country's economy.
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