Voting has officially closed in Canada’s Liberal Party leadership race, with Mark Carney, a former central banker, emerging as the frontrunner to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The winner will be announced before 7:00 pm (2300 GMT), and the new leader is expected to become prime minister within days as Canada heads into an election expected by October—or possibly even earlier.
Carney, who previously led the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, has received strong endorsements from Trudeau’s cabinet and a majority of Liberal MPs. His closest challenger, Chrystia Freeland, served as Trudeau’s deputy prime minister and held several senior cabinet positions.
The leadership race has been shaped by concerns over US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly disrupted Canada-US trade relations and even suggested annexing Canada as the 51st US state.
Carney has positioned himself as the best candidate to counter Trump, citing his experience handling the 2008-09 financial crisis and the Brexit aftermath. He has accused Trump of threatening Canada’s economy and sovereignty, saying, “Everything in my life has prepared me for this moment.”
Polls show that Carney is seen as the strongest choice to take on Trump, with 43% of Canadians backing him over Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre (34%). The Liberals were headed for an electoral wipeout before Trudeau’s resignation, but the leadership change has made the race much closer.
Despite his economic credentials, Carney has never held elected office, and Conservatives have already launched attack ads questioning his political experience.
Once the new leader is confirmed, they will meet Governor General Mary Simon, King Charles III’s representative in Canada, to form a government and prepare for the coming election battle.