Trudeau’s resignation in January left the Liberals trailing the Conservatives by 25 points, and the party seemed headed for defeat.
Pierre Poilievre, Conservative leader, campaigned on a call for change, criticizing the Liberals’ past decade in power.
However, in a surprising turn, the Liberals won the April 28 election, aided by two key factors:
Mark Carney, a former banker and economist, succeeded Trudeau and reframed the election as an opportunity to rebuild Canada’s economy.
Donald Trump’s comments about making Canada “the 51st State” rallied Canadian nationalism, and Carney positioned himself as the best leader to stand up to Trump’s threats.
The Conservatives did well, securing 41.4% of the vote, but a unified push from progressive voters helped the Liberals win 43.5% of the vote, up from 32.6%.
The New Democratic Party (NDP) saw a significant decline, with their vote share dropping from 18% to 6%.
Despite the victory, the Liberals did not secure an overall majority in Parliament (172 seats).
Carney will need to manage a coalition government, work with smaller parties, and address economic challenges, including Trump’s tariffs and the need for a new Canada-U.S. relationship.
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