'Anti-Trump' Canadian Liberal Party succeeds in re-election... "Ties with the US are over"

Prime Minister Carney wins reversal in general election... "We won't lose Canada"

After Trump's 'Join the US' remark

Patriotic fervor like Buy Canada

Liberal Party appoints 'anti-American' Prime Minister Carney

Unites centrist and left-wing voters

Carney declares victory "US betrayal

Trying to bring down Canada"

On the 29th, the Liberal Party led by Prime Minister Mark Carney won the Canadian general election, successfully extending its rule. It is evaluated that US President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on Canada and his remark about 'annexing as the 51st state of the US' stimulated anti-American sentiment, contributing to the Liberal Party's rule. However, the possibility of political instability is raised as it failed to secure the status of a majority party with more than half of the seats.

◇Carney "The old relationship with the US is over"

'Anti-Trump' Canadian Liberal Party succeeds in re-election... "Ties with the US are over" According to Canadian public broadcaster CBC, the ruling Liberal Party secured 144 out of 343 seats in the Canadian general election, defeating the opposition Conservative Party (which secured 125 seats) to become the first party in the House. Thus, the Liberal Party succeeded in maintaining its position as the ruling party in the general election (fourth term). In Canada's parliamentary system, the leader of the ruling party becomes the prime minister, and no separate election is held. However, the Liberal Party failed to secure the status of a majority party with more than half of the seats (172 seats). Therefore, even if Prime Minister Carney takes office, it is expected that he will form a coalition with other minority parties or maintain cooperation practices.

In his victory speech, Prime Minister Carney firmly stated, "We have overcome the shock of US betrayal, but we will never forget the lesson," adding, "The old relationship between the US and Canada is over." He emphasized, "President Trump is trying to break us to own us, but that will never happen."

Until just three months ago, Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party, was a strong candidate for the next Canadian prime minister. Due to deepening inflation and rising housing prices, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's approval rating fell, and in last year's national polls, the Conservative Party led the Liberal Party by more than 20 percentage points.

However, public opinion shifted rapidly after President Trump announced shortly after taking office that he would impose a 25% tariff on Canadian steel, aluminum, automobiles, and parts. Automobiles and parts, excluding oil and gas, account for the highest proportion of Canada's exports to the US. In addition, President Trump's claim that "Canada should be annexed as the 51st state of the US" also influenced and provoked the Canadian public.

Even an hour before the election began, President Trump provoked the Canadian public by posting on Truth Social, "Canada can become the precious 51st state of the US, halve taxes, and grow its military power to the world's highest level for free." Shachi Kurl, director of the Angus Reid Institute, pointed out, "Anti-Conservative sentiment, President Trump's tariffs, and former Prime Minister Trudeau's resignation united centrist and traditional Liberal Party supporters."

◇Possibility of coalition with the New Democratic Party

The New York Times (NYT) evaluated, "Prime Minister Carney created a rare case of winning an election after inheriting an unpopular previous government." It is also evaluated that being recognized as the right person to respond to the trade war with the US as an 'economist' contributed to the rise in approval ratings. Prime Minister Carney graduated from Harvard University's Department of Economics and obtained a master's and doctorate in economics from Oxford University in the UK. He has extensive experience related to economic crises, having served as the Governor of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 global financial crisis and as the Governor of the Bank of England during the Brexit (UK's withdrawal from the European Union) period in 2016.

In the future, Prime Minister Carney is expected to focus on establishing a new trade order and security relationship with the US. On this day, he emphasized in a speech in Ottawa, "I will discuss the future of an independent nation with President Trump," and "Canada will become an energy superpower, and the government will create many jobs."

In addition, the Carney government has numerous domestic issues to address. High inflation, rising housing prices, and immigration issues are representative. The possibility of a setback in state affairs is also raised as the Liberal Party failed to secure a majority. In the 2021 general election, the Liberal Party also failed to secure a majority alone and formed a coalition with the hard-left New Democratic Party. This time, the Liberal Party is likely to cooperate with the New Democratic Party, but the problem is that the number of seats for the New Democratic Party has decreased compared to before. The New Democratic Party secured only 3 seats in this election, a significant retreat from the 25 seats it held in 2021.

Reporter Donghyun Kim 3code@hankyung.com