In the Canadian general election held on the 28th (local time), the ruling Liberal Party led by Prime Minister Mark Carney won. Whether they can secure a majority of seats depends on the remaining ballot counts, but fiercely competitive seat battles with the Conservative Party suggest that a majority seat acquisition may be difficult.

According to the Associated Press and Bloomberg, the general election vote that will determine Canada's next ruling party ended at 10 p.m. on the same day (11 a.m. Korea time). Immediately after voting closed, local media outlets such as Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), CTV, and BCC predicted that the Liberal Party would win.

Prime Minister Mark Carney votes with his wife, Diana Fox Carney, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Oct. 28. /Courtesy of Reuters.

However, it seems difficult for the Liberal Party to secure a majority of seats. To obtain more than half of the seats, they need to secure a total of 172 seats, yet the Liberal Party has not demonstrated an overwhelming advantage.

According to CBC, as of 12:30 p.m. Korea time, the Liberal Party is winning or leading in 157 out of the 343 total seats in the House of Commons, while the Conservative Party holds an advantage in 149 constituencies. Following them are the Bloc Québécois with 25 seats and the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 10 seats.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has been in power for the past nine years, resigned early in January due to economic stagnation caused by high costs and housing difficulties, leading to an earlier-than-scheduled general election. At that time, the prevailing view was that the Conservative Party would win and change the administration.

However, after Donald Trump took office as President of the United States, the situation reversed. As President Trump imposed high tariffs on Canada and made a series of gaffes, the Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, adopted an anti-Trump stance, leading to a surge in approval ratings.

Supporters of Prime Minister Mark Carney celebrate as news of the Liberal victory prediction is announced on Oct. 28. /Courtesy of AFP.

Bloomberg described the results of this general election as "the most surprising turnaround in Canadian history," stating, "Just four months ago, it looked as though the party was completely falling apart, yet it has achieved a fourth term. This would not have happened without the Trump effect,". The Associated Press noted that "this election is also a kind of referendum on President Trump."

Previously, President Trump had remarked to Canada, "Become the 51st state of the U.S.," and referred to former Prime Minister Trudeau as the "Governor of Canada," which provoked backlash from the Canadian public. On the day of the general election, he also stated, "If Canada becomes the cherished 51st state of the U.S., we could quadruple growth in the automotive, steel, aluminum, wood, energy, and all other industries without tariffs or taxes."