Canadians voted back Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party in Monday’s parliamentary elections, though they have failed to attain the majority. The mandate, however, nearly mirrored the result of two years ago.
Trudeau, who was in power from 2015, now won three general elections in less than six years.
Trudeau-led Liberals have been leading or elected in 156 seats – one less than they won in 2019, and 14 short of the 170 needed for a majority in the House of Commons. The Conservatives were leading in 121 seats, the same number they won in 2019. The leftist New Democrats were leading in 27, a gain of three seats.
When he first won the election in 2015, the 49-year-old Trudeau channelled the star power of his father, the Liberal icon and late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Liberals dominated in Toronto, Canada’s largest city and one of the most multicultural cities in the world.
While Trudeau took to Twitter to thank the voters, saying: “Thank you, Canada — for casting your vote, for putting your trust in the Liberal team, for choosing a brighter future. We’re going to finish the fight against COVID. And we’re going to move Canada forward. For everyone.”
