It was an evening punctuated by a victory speech and a farewell address. For one, it marked a lightning-fast rise; for the other, the end of a decade in power. Mark Carney took Justin Trudeau's place at the head of the Liberal Party of Canada, winning the leadership contest hands down on Sunday, March 9. With 85.9% of the vote, the former senior civil servant comfortably beat his main rival – and friend – Chrystia Freeland, the former finance minister, who received 8%. Freeland's shock departure in December 2024 plunged the government into crisis and pushed Trudeau to resign.

"We needed big changes," insisted the future prime minister, as if to mark a break with the past. "We face the greatest crisis of our generation," he added, to set the tone for the challenges ahead for Canada, immersed in a trade war with Washington. "These are dark days. Dark days brought on by a country [the United States] we can no longer trust."

Defending Canadian interests was the main theme of this whirlwind campaign, with an underlying question: Who will be best placed to take on Donald Trump? Carney, who has never held an elected office, capitalized on his experience and knowledge of economic and financial circles.

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