Canada's Liberals Fall Just Short of Parliamentary Majority:

Canada's Liberals Fall Just Short of Parliamentary Majority:

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney celebrates at his campaign headquarters in Ottawa following the Liberal Party's victory in the April 29, 2025 elections. Canada's Liberal Party has just missed securing a parliamentary majority, despite achieving a significant electoral comeback. According to Elections Canada, the party secured 169 out of the 343 parliamentary seats in the election held on Monday, falling only three seats short of a majority and 25 seats ahead of the Conservative Party, which came in second. As a result, the Liberals will require the backing of at least one additional party to advance legislation.

The progressive New Democrats, who supported the previous Liberal minority government until last year, won 7 seats, positioning them as a potential ally. Even though the Liberals did not achieve a majority, their election victory—marking the fourth consecutive win for the party—represents a remarkable turnaround from earlier this year when they trailed significantly behind the Conservatives in polls. The resignation of former party leader Justin Trudeau, who had lost popularity by the end of his tenure, combined with President Donald Trump's antagonistic remarks about Canada, contributed to the party's resurgence. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Mark Carney, a respected economist who recently transitioned to politics, the Liberals effectively framed the election as a referendum on Trump, asserting their capability to counter his threats to Canada. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has made multiple claims suggesting that Canada should become the United States' 51st state. He has also imposed tariffs of 25% on Canadian products including aluminum and steel. In his victory speech, Carney highlighted the dramatic shift in Canadian-U.S. relations. "We are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we must never forget the lessons," he remarked.

"As I have warned for months, America covets our land, resources, water, and country," the Prime Minister added. "These are not idle threats. President Trump is attempting to undermine us so that America can dominate us. That will never...ever happen. However, we must acknowledge that our world has fundamentally changed." Carney spoke with Trump on Tuesday, agreeing to meet in person in the near future. Not only did Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre fail to win the election, but he also lost the parliamentary seat he had held for 20 years. Amid widespread Canadian discontent with Trump's policies, voter turnout for this election was the highest since 1993, with 68.5% of eligible voters participating. Reporting by Rory Sullivan