Displaying items by tag: Liberal party

Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has secured re-election in Canada, staging a dramatic comeback. Though the Liberals have not won a clear majority, their lead over the Conservatives is decisive. Carney credited the turnaround to a rise in Canadian nationalism sparked by Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric and tariff threats, including calls for Canada to become America’s 51st state. These actions galvanised support for the Liberals after the slump which followed former PM Justin Trudeau’s resignation amid economic discontent. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who had echoed Trump’s anti-‘woke’ rhetoric, even lost his own parliamentary seat. Carney warned that hard decisions lie ahead:  Canada must now prepare to reduce its economic dependence on the USA while navigating a tense bilateral relationship. The election took place hours after eleven people were killed by a vehicle attack at a Vancouver street fair: see

On 24 August, after a bitter row that has thrust the country's political landscape into turmoil, Australia’s Liberal party named finance minister Scott Morrison as the country's new leader, after he emerged victorious from a three-way race with former home affairs minister Peter Dutton and foreign minister Julie Bishop. The ugly fight for power comes just nine months before a May 2019 deadline for a new general election, and continues a torrid period of instability for Australian leadership - Mr Morrison will be the country's sixth prime minister in less than ten years. Mr Turnbull, who called the leadership vote after losing the majority support of the party, opted not to contest it. The crisis for the Liberal party is far from over, however. Mr Turnbull intends to resign from parliament, leaving the new government facing a by-election for his Sydney seat that could see it lose its one-seat majority. It is reported that Ms Bishop, having been defeated in the leadership ballot, would likely also resign from politics.