In a dramatic turnaround few predicted at the start of the year, Mark Carney led Canada’s Liberal Party to its fourth consecutive term in power following the 2025 federal election. Although the Liberals fell short of an outright majority, they emerged as the largest party in a fractured Parliament, allowing Carney to continue as Prime Minister. It was a victory shaped by a blend of strategic leadership change, a carefully managed campaign focused on stability, and an extraordinary external catalyst: the aggressive interventions of US President Donald Trump.
The story of Canada’s 2025 election is not just about a party clinging to power. It is about how a fresh face, a strategic pivot, and the unpredictable force of external events combined to reverse what initially appeared to be a looming Liberal defeat.
Trudeau’s Exit: A Necessary Reset

Justin Trudeau’s political brand, once associated with youthful optimism and progressive momentum, had become a liability by early 2025. After nearly a decade as Prime Minister, Trudeau faced plummeting approval ratings, fueled by high food prices, a worsening housing crisis, and lingering ethics scandals. Internal dissent within the Liberal Party reached a breaking point, culminating in Trudeau’s resignation in January.
The party quickly rallied around Mark Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, known for his serious demeanour and expertise in economic management. Carney was seen as a sharp contrast to Trudeau’s celebrity style — a technocrat capable of restoring trust and steering the party away from further decline. His appointment as Prime Minister before facing voters gave the Liberals a rare advantage: the authority of incumbency combined with a perception of renewal.
The leadership change had an immediate impact. Polls that had shown the Liberals trailing the Conservatives by 20 points began to narrow. Carney’s emphasis on stability, competence, and national stewardship resonated with voters exhausted by political drama and economic anxiety.
A Campaign Shaped by External Forces
While the Liberals’ internal reset positioned them for a competitive fight, the campaign itself was transformed by unexpected developments beyond Canada’s borders. Donald Trump, newly re-elected as President of the United States, imposed sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods in the weeks leading up to the election. Worse still, he made provocative remarks suggesting Canada should become America’s “51st state.”
These interventions infuriated Canadians across the political spectrum. In an election initially expected to focus on cost-of-living concerns and domestic policy failures, the narrative abruptly shifted toward national sovereignty and identity. Trump’s actions galvanised a surge of patriotism, turning the election into a referendum on Canadian independence rather than purely on government performance.
Mark Carney capitalised effectively. He presented himself as the steady, serious leader who could stand firm against US pressure. His campaign speeches emphasised defending Canada’s sovereignty, pledging retaliatory tariffs if necessary, and framing the Liberal Party as the bulwark against foreign interference. Slogans such as “Never 51!” became rallying cries at Liberal events, capturing the national mood.
The Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, by contrast, struggled to adapt. Having positioned himself as a populist critic of Trudeau-era policies, Poilievre now found himself vulnerable to accusations that he was too ideologically aligned with Trump-style politics. His previous rhetoric about “broken Canada” and anti-“woke” crusades seemed discordant against the backdrop of a nationalist surge focused on external threats.
Election Results: A Liberal Minority, But a Moral Victory
On election night, the Liberals emerged with around 168 seats out of 343, while the Conservatives secured approximately 143. The Bloc Québécois, New Democratic Party (NDP), and Green Party captured the remainder, with both the Bloc and NDP suffering major losses.
Although the Liberals fell short of the 172 seats required for a majority, the outcome was celebrated as a significant victory given the starting point earlier in the year. The Liberals’ seat efficiency — aided by Canada’s first-past-the-post system — allowed them to convert a near-tied popular vote into a commanding parliamentary lead.
Voter turnout was notably high, with record-breaking advance voting numbers, indicating heightened public engagement. Analysts widely attributed the Liberal win to a combination of Trump’s interventions, strategic voting by left-leaning Canadians, and Carney’s successful rebranding of the party.
Regional Patterns: Strategic Voting Reshapes the Map
The regional breakdown of the election results revealed significant shifts:

British Columbia was particularly notable for the collapse of the NDP, whose traditional base crumbled as voters shifted toward the Liberals to counter the Conservatives. In Quebec, federalist sentiment surged in response to Trump’s perceived threats, severely damaging the Bloc’s prospects.
Why Conservatives Fell Short
The Conservatives entered the election well-positioned to win. Their focus on affordability and dissatisfaction with Liberal governance initially resonated. However, several factors contributed to their eventual defeat:
First, Trump’s interventions redefined the election’s central question. Instead of choosing between Liberal governance and Conservative economic management, voters were asked to choose between Canadian sovereignty and potential alignment with Trumpism.
Second, Pierre Poilievre struggled to reframe his campaign once nationalism took centre stage. His prior emphasis on culture wars and populist rhetoric left him open to accusations of being sympathetic to Trump’s worldview. His public call for Trump to “stay out of our election” highlighted the extent to which Trump had become a liability, but it came too late to change perceptions.
Third, strategic voting among progressive Canadians was decisive. Fear of a Conservative government led many NDP and Green supporters to shift their votes to Liberal candidates, particularly in battleground ridings.
Finally, the Liberals’ leadership change itself removed the strongest Conservative talking point: opposition to Justin Trudeau personally. Without Trudeau to target, Poilievre’s attacks often seemed unfocused, and Carney’s technocratic calmness proved difficult to demonise.
Collapse of Smaller Parties
The 2025 election was disastrous for Canada’s smaller political parties. The NDP, led by Jagmeet Singh, saw its parliamentary presence shrink to near-irrelevance, with Singh narrowly retaining his seat but most of his colleagues losing. The party’s collapse was largely a casualty of strategic voting, as progressive voters chose the Liberals to block the Conservatives.
The Bloc Québécois also suffered, losing several key seats to the Liberals. Trump’s rhetoric stirred federalist sentiment even among soft nationalists, reducing the Bloc’s appeal.
The Green Party and the People’s Party of Canada failed to make significant gains. Greens were squeezed by Liberal consolidation of environmentally-minded voters, while the PPC’s far-right messaging found little traction amid nationalist concerns about external threats.
Carney’s “Mr Serious” Persona: An Unexpected Strength
Mark Carney’s personal style — often described as “bland” or “boring” — turned out to be an asset in an election dominated by fears of instability. After years of political drama under Trudeau and the bombastic style of leaders like Trump, Canadian voters appeared to crave steady, sober leadership.
Carney’s background as a central banker and his technocratic, no-nonsense public image reassured voters looking for competence over charisma. His campaign messaging focused on “steady hands for uncertain times,” presenting him as a trustworthy steward of Canada’s future.
While his speeches may have lacked rhetorical fireworks, Carney projected calm and control, qualities that contrasted sharply with the volatility unfolding in the United States and elsewhere. In 2025, being “boring” proved to be exactly what many
A New Chapter for Canada
The 2025 election reshaped Canada’s political landscape. The Liberals, though bruised, demonstrated remarkable resilience under new leadership. The Conservatives, despite making gains in traditional strongholds, were unable to expand their coalition in an election defined by questions of identity and sovereignty.
Mark Carney now faces the complex task of governing with a minority mandate. He must address the affordability crisis, strengthen Canada’s economic resilience, and navigate an increasingly turbulent global environment — all while maintaining the nationalist unity that propelled him to victory.
For now, however, Carney’s first win as Prime Minister represents not just a personal triumph but a broader affirmation of Canadian political values: stability, sovereignty, and pragmatism in the face of external pressures.
In 2025, Canada chose to stand its ground — and chose, overwhelmingly, to do so with steady hands at the helm.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

France’s Foreign Ministry accused Israel’s Embassy of “unacceptable” behaviour on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) after it banned two French groups, including elected officials, from visiting Israel and alleged the groups were linked to a terrorist organisation.

In a statement on Monday, Israel’s Embassy said it would not allow any individual or delegation associated with the Decentralised Cooperation Network for Palestine or the France-Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS) to enter the country because they were linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP is designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.

The delegations and associations affected could not immediately be reached for comment.

France’s Foreign Ministry said the decision by Israel to revoke the travel authorisations for the two delegations, which included elected French officials, was regrettable, counterproductive, and damaging to Franco-Israeli relations.

“The public accusations by the Israeli Embassy in France alleging links between these associations and terrorist organisations are unacceptable,” the Foreign Ministry said.

It called on Israel to reverse its decision.

Franco-Israeli ties have been complicated in recent months over the war in Gaza and growing unease in Paris over Israel’s handling of the conflict.

Earlier in April, President Emmanuel Macron suggested Paris could recognise a Palestinian State later this year, depending on a number of conditions, drawing the ire of Israeli officials.

“Israel is acting within its right, under local and international law, to prevent the entry into its territory of delegations composed of organisations that seek to delegitimize its existence and undermine its security,” the Embassy said.

“We encourage any member of the delegation wishing to travel to Israel to contact the Israeli Embassy to arrange a visit that will not be managed by an organisation supporting terrorism,” it said. (Reporting by John Irish Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

Power had almost fully returned to Spain early on Tuesday morning (April 29, 2025) as many questions remained about what caused one of Europe’s most severe blackouts that grounded flights, paralysed metro systems, disrupted mobile communications and shut down ATMs across Spain and Portugal.

By 6:30 a.m., more than 99% of energy demand in Spain had been restored, the country’s electricity operator Red Eléctrica said.

Power had gradually returned to several regions across Spain and Portugal as the nations reeled from the still-unexplained widespread blackout that had turned airports and train stations into campgrounds for stranded travelers. By Monday night, Portuguese grid operator REN said 85 out of 89 power substations were back online.

A security guard speaks with a woman outside a temporarily closed metro station during a nationwide power outage in Madrid on April 28, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Monday (April 28) night, many city residents, including in Spain’s capital of Madrid, went to sleep in total darkness. The normally illuminated cathedral spires of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Basilica became indistinguishable from the night sky. Streets remained deserted even in neighborhoods where lights flickered back on, as people stayed home after a day of chaos.

“We have a long night ahead,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said when he addressed the European nation late on Monday (April 28). “We are working with the goal of having power restored to the entire country.”

In Madrid, cheers erupted from balconies where the electricity had returned.

People ride a crowded bus, after the metro was closed during a power outage, in Madrid, Spain on April 28, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

On Tuesday (April 29) morning, Madrid’s metro system said service would be restored on all but one line by 8 a.m., meaning that 80% of trains would be operating again during rush hour.

As metro service stopped on Monday (April 28), train stations cleared out and shops and offices closed, and thousands of people spilled onto the streets of Madrid.

Emergency workers in Spain said they rescued some 35,000 passengers stranded along railways and underground. By 11 p.m., there were still 11 trains backed up by the power loss awaiting evacuation, Mr. Sánchez said.

The blackout turned sports centers, train stations and airports into makeshift refuges late Monday.

People wait outside a closed metro station, during a major power outage in Barcelona, Spain on April 28, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
AP

“We were in the north of Portugal and did get any notifications until we got here because of internet outage,” said Ian Cannons, a British tourist trying to get home who was forced to spend the night in Lisbon’s airport. “We can’t book any hotels. Nothing.”

The Barcelona municipality distributed 1,200 cots to indoor recreation centers to host residents with no way to get home and international travelers left in limbo. All over Barcelona and Madrid, people were sleeping on train station benches and floors.

People walk through a metro station during a power outage in Madrid, Spain on April 28, 2025, in this screengrab obtained from a video posted on social media. Photo: Masha/Masha_Zha Via Reuters

As internet and mobile phone services blinkered offline across Spain and Portugal, battery-powered radios flew off the shelves. Those fortunate enough to find service shared whatever news updates they could with strangers on the street.

Lines snaked out of the few supermarkets running on backup generators in Barcelona and Lisbon as people stocked up on dried goods, water and battery-powered flashlights and candles. Clerks counted euros by hand, since many cash registers had stopped working.

Customers dine in a restaurant illuminated by a generator during a blackout in Barcelona, Spain on April 28, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Hector Emperador, picking his kids up from school in Barcelona, said he resorted to raiding his sons’ piggybank to ensure he had cash on hand after ATMs and some online-banking services shut down. “The coronavirus pandemic will be nothing compared to this,” he said.

Few gas stations were operating, sending the drivers who dared navigate without traffic lights scrambling for fuel. Residents with electric door keys found themselves locked out of their homes.

People board metros as the metro operations resume partially, after power begins to return following a huge outage that hit Spain and Portugal, in Madrid, Spain on April 29, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

The many inconveniences became a threat to survival for those with medical needs like refrigeration for insulin or power for dialysis machines and oxygen concentrators. Some hospitals — but not all — stayed open with the help of generators.

Officials did not say what caused the blackout, the second such serious European power outage in as many months after a fire at Heathrow Airport shut down Britain’s busiest travel hub on March 20.

They said there was little precedent for this kind of widespread electric failure across all of the Iberian Peninsula, with a combined population of some 60 million. Across the Mediterranean Sea, Spain’s Balearic Islands and the territories of Ceuta and Melilla were spared. The Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa were also spared.

“We have never had a complete collapse of the system,” Mr. Sánchez said, explaining how Spain’s power grid lost 15 gigawatts, the equivalent of 60% of its national demand, in just five seconds.

In his televised address late on Monday (April 28), Mr. Sánchez said that authorities were still investigating what happened. Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Center threw cold water on feverish speculation about foul play, saying there was no sign that the outage resulted from a cyber attack.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Teresa Ribera, an executive vice president of the European Commission, also ruled out sabotage. Nonetheless, the outage “is one of the most serious episodes recorded in Europe in recent times,” she said.