Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has announced her resignation as leader of the Victorian Parliamentary Labor Party and as Premier, ending months of growing political pressure and paving the way for a change in leadership just four months before the state election. Her decision followed an internal revolt after a majority of Labor caucus members withdrew their support for her leadership.

In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Allan said she had made the difficult decision to step aside after discussions with colleagues overnight. Although she had previously indicated she was prepared to contest a leadership ballot under Labor's rules, she concluded that a prolonged internal contest would distract the government from preparing for the upcoming election. She said she wanted the party to remain focused on governing and campaigning rather than engaging in a lengthy leadership dispute.

Allan also confirmed that she would support Deputy Premier Ben Carroll if he became the next Labor leader and Premier. Her resignation removed the immediate prospect of a lengthy leadership contest involving both parliamentary members and rank-and-file party members. Unless another candidate formally nominated, Carroll was expected to become Premier following the Labor caucus meeting.

The leadership change followed increasing dissatisfaction within the Labor Party over opinion polling and concerns about the government's political position ahead of the November state election. Senior ministers and MPs had informed Allan that she no longer held majority support within the caucus, prompting calls for a leadership transition.

During her resignation announcement, Allan reflected on her time in office and expressed pride in serving as Victoria's second female Premier. She thanked colleagues, supporters and public servants for their work and said she remained committed to supporting the Labor Government in whatever role she continued to hold. She also expressed confidence that the party could remain competitive at the upcoming election under new leadership.

Ben Carroll, who has served as Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, emerged as the clear favourite to succeed Allan. Carroll had earlier confirmed he would seek the leadership after being approached by colleagues who believed a leadership change was necessary. He indicated that, if elected, he intended to provide fresh direction while maintaining Labor's focus on delivering government services and preparing for the election campaign.

Political analysts described the leadership transition as one of the most significant developments in Victorian politics in recent years. With the state election approaching, the incoming leader will have limited time to unite the party, rebuild public confidence and present Labor's policy agenda to voters. The opposition is expected to closely scrutinise the new leadership as campaigning intensifies in the months ahead.

The change in leadership marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Victorian Government as Labor prepares for one of its most challenging election campaigns in years. Attention now turns to the new Premier and the government's priorities in the lead-up to the November poll.