Ottawa
Canada’s Liberal Party is set to retain power under Prime Minister Mark Carney after a tightly contested election, bolstered by an unexpected surge of support linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre conceded early Tuesday morning, formally recognizing Carney’s victory.
In his victory speech, Carney declared, We will build an independent future for our great country. At 3 a.m. local time (12:30 p.m. IST), votes were still being counted. The Liberal Party had secured 150 seats and was leading in 17 others, which could bring its total to 167 six short of the 173 needed for a majority in the 343-member House of Commons. In the previous Parliament, the Liberals held 152 seats.
The Conservative Party followed closely, winning 132 seats and leading in 13 more, totaling a likely 145 seats. The National Democratic Party, led by Khalistan sympathiser Jagmeet Singh, suffered a significant loss winning only five seats and leading in two. Singh himself lost his own seat in a major upset.
Earlier this year, the Liberal Party appeared headed for a humiliating defeat. However, Trump’s aggressive trade policies and threats including a proposed tariff war and an inflammatory remark about annexing Canada triggered a wave of nationalism across the country.
In a show of defiance, many Canadians rallied behind the Liberals, whom they saw as better equipped to counter Trump’s influence. Analysts noted that Poilievre’s ideological similarities with the U.S. President may have contributed to his party’s declining appeal during the final stretch of the campaign.
