Justin Trudeau bid to remain Canadian Prime Minister Minister in nailbiting election

A nailbiting Canadian election looks set to see Justin Trudeau’s party remain the largest in parliament but without a majority.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is projecting Justin Trudeau’s Liberals will be able to form a minority government.

Mr Trudeau appeared to overcome a challenge in Monday’s national elections from the rival Conservatives four years after he channelled his father’s star power to become Prime Minister.

CBC projects Mr Trudeau’s Liberals won’t win the majority of seats in parliament and will have to rely on another party to pass legislation.

The projection is the Liberals will win 149 seats and the Conservatives 117, both short of the 170 seats needed for an outright win.

BREAKING NEWS: CBC News projects Liberal government. Whether it will be a minority or majority government remains to be seen. #elxn43 #cdnpoli #CanadaVotes pic.twitter.com/nwL0zkyvJY

— CBC News (@CBCNews) October 22, 2019

The separatist Bloc Quebecois is on 35 votes and the New Democratic PArty on 24.

Unlike Australia’s Liberal Party, the Canadian Liberals are considered left of centre, more akin to Labor.

Handsome and charismatic, Mr Trudeau reasserted liberalism in 2015 after almost 10 years of Conservative Party government in Canada, but a series of scandals combined with high expectations have damaged his prospects.

The Liberals are dominating early returns in Atlantic Canada, which covers provinces such as Nova Scotia, but it’s not the sweep that painted the entire region red during the parliamentary elections in 2015.

Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau arrives at the polling station with his son Hadrian, his wife Sophie and daughter Ella-Grace in Montreal on Monday. Picture: Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press/AP

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is challenging Trudeau. Picture: Adrian Wyld/AFP

The party had never expected to repeat its 2015 sweep of Atlantic Canada, but it can’t afford to sustain many losses and hold on to power.

It was a tight election campaign that raised the threat of Trudeau being knocked from power after one term.

Polls indicate Trudeau’s Liberal Party could lose to the rival Conservatives, or perhaps win but still fail to get a majority of seats in parliament and have to rely on an opposition party to remain in power.

Not in 84 years has a first-term Canadian prime minister with a parliamentary majority lost a bid for re-election.

With AP