Ottawa : The New Democratic Party (NDP), under Jagmeet Singh, is facing its toughest election yet, with polls showing support dipping into single digits—some as low as 9%—as the April 28 vote approaches. Once a key player in propping up the Liberal minority government, the NDP is hemorrhaging progressive voters to Mark Carney’s revitalized Liberals, who lead at 42-48%.
Singh has dismissed the polls, focusing his campaign on attacking Carney’s elite credentials and promising expanded workers’ rights and healthcare access. Yet, the NDP’s withdrawal of support from the Liberals last year, followed by Trudeau’s exit and Carney’s ascent, has left the party struggling to define its role. Analysts note that Trump’s trade war has shifted voter priorities toward national unity, sidelining the NDP’s traditional focus on social programs.
With the Liberals edging toward majority territory (projected at 170+ seats in some models), the NDP risks losing significant ground in its 24-seat stronghold from 2021. Singh’s path forward hinges on recapturing the left-leaning vote, but with the Bloc Québécois also vying for influence, the NDP’s influence in the next Parliament hangs in the balance as the campaign enters its final stretch.
