Canada Polls: Trudeau wins second term, set to form minority government

2024-07-07 15:17:26

Justin Trudeau has pulled a narrow victory to get himself a second term as Canada's prime minister in an election seen as a referendum on the Liberal leader and his four-year-old government after a series of scandals.

After polls closed, Canadian broadcasters CTV and CBC declared a Liberal minority government, which means Trudeau will have to work with other parties in order to govern.

As of 11:30pm EST on Monday (03:30 GMT Tuesday), the Liberals had won 158 seats, significantly fewer than the 184 seats the party secured in 2015.

https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1186521106888515585

In 2015, Trudeau was the "change" candidate, backed by Canadians who were tired of nearly a decade of Conservative rule. But in the last year, he has been dogged by scandals that chipped away at his credibility, including revelations he once wore blackface. Canada's parliament has 338 seats, and the party that wins the majority of those seats - 170 or more - automatically forms the government and can easily pass legislation. If no party wins a majority, the parties must team up. It is unclear which party the Liberals would join forces with to govern, with negotiations set to take place over the coming days.

Monika Walker

Monika Walker is a senior journalist specializing in regional and international politics, offering in-depth analysis on governance, diplomacy, and key global developments. With a degree in International Journalism, she is dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices through factual reporting. She also covers world news across every genre, providing readers with balanced and timely insights that connect the Caribbean to global conversations.