Labor looks to future federal leadership Labor is set to test drive a new process to select the federal leader if they lose the election. THE post-election battle for the federal Labor leadership is the least predictable in decades because of new party voting rules, Labor insiders say. With the coalition looking likely to form government after Saturday's election, attention is turning to who may succeed Kevin Rudd as Labor leader if the ALP is defeated. Mr Rudd has vowed to stay on as the member for Griffith if Labor loses, but he would be forced by party rules to vacate the leadership and may be unlikely to renominate. This may be determined at the next Labor caucus meeting, which could be held in Canberra on Thursday or as late as September 16. Under the rules introduced just before the election, Labor has to put an interim federal leader in charge until a ballot of MPs and rank and file ALP members was held. The most likely candidate is deputy leader Anthony Albanese. If he decided to run for leader, the interim leader may be a long serving MP like Jenny Macklin. Nominations would be open for seven days and the ballot, which could take several weeks, is weighted 50 per cent caucus MPs and senators, and 50 per cent grass-roots members. Just who puts up their hand for the leadership depends on the election results in some key seats. Possible candidates are Chris Bowen, who is in danger of losing his western Sydney seat of McMahon, and ministerial colleague Bill Shorten, who has a better chance of holding his Melbourne-based seat. "It will be the least predictable ballot for the leadership for the federal parliamentary party in many decades," a senior Labor Left member told AAP. The party member said former Australian Workers Union boss Bill Shorten's success was not guaranteed. "The idea that the AWU or whoever just slides in and says 'We have anointed this person' I don't think will work," he said. While the winning candidate could benefit from having strong endorsement from both caucus and ordinary ALP members, there is the mathematical possibility the winner has minority support in caucus but a large majority of grass-roots backing. One senior Labor MP said this would be untenable, which is why it was most likely only one candidate's name would go forward for the leadership. The leadership candidates could come under pressure to state for the record whether they will fight in parliament for policies such as carbon pricing, another member said. Former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke said Mr Shorten heads the list of possible incoming Labor leaders. He said Treasurer Chris Bowen is talented but first needed to retain his seat, and Health Minister Tanya Plibersek is unlikely to be in the running.