Internationale Politikanalyse International Policy Analysis International Policy Analysis Jennifer Curtin and Craig Simes Social Democracy in Australia Country Fact Sheet in the Context of the Project »Adjusting the Profile of Social Democracy in Europe« How does Social Democracy bring about the renewal it needs? In order to improve our understanding of the challenges Social Democracy faces in the national political discourses and to identify, if possible,»best practices«, several country fact sheets will be produced throughout 2008. A final document will be written in 2009 at the end of the pro­ject. This country fact sheet is part of the ongoing project» Adjusting the Profile of Social Democracy in Europe« of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. The project aims to contribute to the discussion on the solutions Social Democracy can provide to the challenges of the 21st century. Since his election victory the new Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has become one of the international success stories of Social Democracy. This fact sheet provides information on the structure of the political system and the Social Democratic discourse in Australia. It gives an overview of Social Democratic positions and the strategy of the Austra­lian Labor Party(ALP) vis­à -vis allies and rivals. SEPTEMBER 2008