Mark Carney wins Canadian election in major upset fueled by backlash to Trump’s annexation threats

Mark Carney has won the 2025 Canadian federal election, securing his position as prime minister, according to projections from CBC, CTV News, and the Associated Press.

The unexpected victory represents a stunning political resurgence for the Liberal Party, which had been trailing by over 20 points earlier this year.

Carney’s win is being credited largely to a wave of Canadian nationalism, ignited by U.S. President Donald Trump’s inflammatory remarks about annexing Canada as the “51st state.” Trump’s aggressive stance and imposition of new tariffs on Canadian goods sparked outrage across the country and galvanized voter support for the Liberals.

Carney, a former central bank governor with relatively little political experience, called a snap election in late March after polls showed the Liberals surging. His calculated gamble paid off.

While Carney’s Liberal Party has emerged as the projected winner, CTV News reports that the party may fall short of a majority in the 343-seat House of Commons. CBC has not yet made a final projection on the seat count.

If a minority government is confirmed, Carney will need to form alliances with smaller parties to pass legislation and remain in power—an arrangement that historically leads to shorter government terms in Canada, often lasting only 2 to 2.5 years.

The final days of the campaign were disrupted by a deadly attack at a Vancouver street fair over the weekend, in which 11 people were killed. Authorities have ruled out terrorism, identifying the suspect as a local man with known mental health issues. All parties temporarily suspended campaigning out of respect for the victims.

In his victory speech, Carney rejected Trump’s economic threats and promised a more assertive foreign policy stance toward Washington. He pledged billions in new investments aimed at reducing Canada’s economic reliance on the U.S., emphasizing national resilience and trade diversification.

Carney took over as Liberal leader and interim prime minister after Justin Trudeau’s resignation earlier this year. He defeated Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who had been the front-runner until the Trump controversy turned the tide.

Before entering politics, Carney was Governor of the Bank of Canada and later Governor of the Bank of England, gaining international acclaim for his economic leadership during the global financial crisis.