Canada has a new Prime Minister. Mark Carney, who previously led the Bank of England, won re-election on Monday. He takes over from Justin Trudeau, who was ousted earlier this year. Carney’s Liberal Party is expected to secure a plurality in the Canadian parliament, winning about 168 seats and 43.5 percent of the vote. This is an increase from the 160 seats under Trudeau in 2021.
The election saw a close race between the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre. The Conservatives achieved a significant improvement, winning 144 seats and 41.4 percent of the vote, up from 119 seats and 34.3 percent in the last election. However, neither party reached the 172 seats needed for a majority.
Carney is likely to form a minority government, similar to the Liberal administrations since 2019. This means he will need support from other parties to stay in power. The left-wing New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh, faced major losses, dropping to just 7 seats from 25. Singh even lost in his own riding, which he had previously won by a comfortable margin.
The Bloc Québécois, led by Yves-François Blanchet, performed slightly better than the NDP, but also saw a decrease in seats, going from 32 to 23. This election marks a significant shift in the Canadian political landscape, with the two main parties gaining ground while third parties struggle. As Carney prepares to lead, the focus will be on how he manages to govern with a minority and maintain the support needed to implement his agenda.