Finally, as John Howard, leader of the conservative coalition government was being sworn in for his fourth term as prime minister on October 26th, Mr Latham announced his new team.

ECONOMIST: Labor's defeat has unleashed an internal war

Concern for Labour who, even when the coalition is so unpopular, found themselves an irrelevant fourth.

BBC: Relief, disbelief, despair and concern

And so to the fourth and most important reason for persisting in Afghanistan: the coalition can do much better.

ECONOMIST: The war in Afghanistan

Former president Jose Sarney, whose PMDB party is one of the biggest members of her coalition, was re-elected head of the senate for the fourth time.

BBC: Brazilian clown Tiririca takes elected seat in congress