Second largest country on earth: under pressure Trump – Canada chooses a new parliament

Canada chooses a new parliament under the pressure of aggressive customs policy and annexation threats from US President Donald Trump. In the northern neighboring state of the United States and the second largest country on earth in terms of area, a very close race between the liberals of Prime Minister Mark Carney (60) and the conservatives with top candidate Pierre Poilievre (45) indicated.

The first results are expected on Tuesday night (CEST). More than seven million of the approximately 29 million Canadians entitled to vote in the huge country with six time zones have already given their vote in advance – according to the electoral authority, more than ever before.

Conservatives apparently led out – but then Trump came

In surveys, the oppositional conservatives were apparently unable to lead-but then the aggressive customs policy and annexation threats from US President Donald Trump came and gave the economic expert Carney surprising upswing.

In resistance to Trump, the Canadians moved together – under the slogan “Ellenbogen out!” – Ready to fight based on the ice hockey passion of his compatriots. Numerous Canadians are now boycotting US goods, no longer traveling to the United States, hezes Canadian flags and wear caps with the inscription “Canada is not for sale”.

This made the election campaign difficult for the conservative candidate Polilievre, whose political style bears clear Trump bonds. The 45-year-old, who stands for low taxes and cuts in government spending, also spoke of fake news, a woken ideology of left-wing radical strengths and promised to always put Canada in the first place-“Canada First”. That was well received for a long time – but then Trump came.

“Canada First” candidate against experienced crisis managers

The liberal economic expert Carney has national and international crisis experience and is considered resilient. During the financial crisis, the dog lover from Alberta headed the Canadian Central Bank from 2008. It is also attributed to him that Canada survived the global economic consequences at the time.

Between 2013 and 2020, Carney was a central bank boss in Great Britain during the turbulent Brexit phase, then until January this year, un-special envoy for climate protection. He advocates closer cooperation with Europe and Asia to reduce the trade dependency from the USA. According to surveys, most Canadian Carney most likely trust Trump’s forehead.

The aim of both parties is an absolute majority

The aim of both parties is at least 172 seats in the parliament in the capital Ottawa, which corresponds to the absolute majority of the mandates for the 343 constituencies. The MPs are determined by direct election. If a minority government would also be necessary, Carney or Piilievre would be dependent on tolerance by smaller parties – such as the Social Democrats, the Greens or the Regional Party Bloc Québécois.

The liberal party has been in power in the G7 country with around 40 million inhabitants for about ten years, initially with an absolute majority, then with a minority government and until recently under the leadership of Justin Trudeau. It was long admired and celebrated as “Canada’s Kennedy”-based on the US President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963).

“Canada’s Kennedy” had withdrawn at the beginning of the year

In view of the weak economy and increasing prices, the pressure on him, his popularity dropped. At the beginning of the year, Trudeau announced his withdrawal and handed over his posts as prime minister and party leader to Carney after a party in the party.

He then called out early elections and thus came before a expected vote of no confidence in the parliament in Ottawa. According to the law, the elections originally had to take place in autumn at the latest – four years after the last elections in October 2021.

The choice is now taking place under the impression of a tragic incident in the west coast metropolis of Vancouver at the weekend: At a street festival of the Filipino community, a man drove into a crowd with a car and killed at least eleven people. A suspicious 30-year-old was arrested. The police were convinced that it was not a terrorist act.