Canadians will go to the polls on Monday to elect a parliament. Progressive Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (49) appears to be heading for a third term but is expected to return to rule without guaranteeing the support of a majority of parliament.
Polls suggest that the balance of power in the House of Commons will hardly change. There, Trudeau’s Liberal Party now has 155 of the 338 seats, less than half. The prime minister tried to win votes at the last minute on Sunday by campaigning in key districts in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.
The prime minister has headed a minority government for two years and is likely to remain so after the election. Still, it would be a historic achievement if his party were to be the biggest again. He would then be the eighth prime minister in Canadian history to win three elections in a row. His father, Pierre, who was also Prime Minister, also succeeded.
Canada’s last parliamentary election was in 2019, and Trudeau could have waited until 2024 to call new elections. However, he decided this summer to send his compatriots early to the polls. Trudeau said he wants a new voter mandate because of the corona pandemic.
The prime minister seems to have gambled that Canadians would reward him for his corona policy. Canada has a high vaccination coverage, and in polls, its Liberals led the way. However, it was sensitive that he announced the new elections on the weekend when the Taliban overran the Afghan capital Kabul and Canada also had to evacuate people there.
Trudeau first took office as Prime Minister in 2015 and can now rely on all kinds of progressive feats of arms. His government legalized cannabis and banned 1,500 types of assault rifles last year. However, not all Canadians are happy with his policy. For example, during his campaign, Trudeau was attacked by opponents of his corona measures. Protesters recently threw pebbles and grit at him.