Canada elections: Mark Carney’s Liberals maintain early lead, set to make a comeback
The Liberals, who were headed for a crushing defeat, saw a change in fortunes following Donald Trump’s threat to Canada’s sovereignty and claims to make it the 51st US state
Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party has reportedly won Canada's federal election on Monday, capping a stunning turnaround in fortunes fuelled by US President Donald Trump's annexation threats and trade war.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster, said the Liberals will win more of Parliament's 343 seats than the Conservatives.
Also read: Canadians vote in an election dominated by Trump's trade war and bluster
It wasn't clear yet if the Liberals would win an outright majority, which would allow them to pass legislation without needing help.
Trump’s threats flip narrative
The Liberals looked headed for a crushing defeat until the American president started attacking Canada's economy and threatening its sovereignty, suggesting it should become the 51st state.
Trump's actions infuriated Canadians and stoked a surge in nationalism that helped the Liberals flip the election narrative and win a fourth-straight term in power.
Also read: Canada says it fears interference by India, China in April 28 elections: Report
The opposition Conservative Party's leader, Pierre Poilievre, hoped to make the election a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose popularity declined toward the end of his decade in power as food and housing prices rose.
But Trump attacked, Trudeau resigned, and Carney, a two-time central banker, became the Liberal Party's leader and prime minister.
When are results due?
The majority of the ballots, as per Elections Canada, is expected the be counted on the election night itself. The votes are manually counted by each election place manually and then submitted to the district’s local Elections Canada office. The office then uploads the data on the official website of Elections Canada.
