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In the U.S., Trump’s popularity hit a new low of net -10 percentage points right as he clocked 100 days in office. Abroad, the political impact of Trump’s first 100 days is perhaps more tangible. In both Canada and Australia, the center-Left parties, which looked destined for defeat just months ago, came roaring back in recent elections.
A week ago, Canada’s Liberal Party won the most seats in parliament, ensuring Prime Minister Mark Carney would stay in office for the party’s fourth consecutive term in control of government. The Liberals came just shy of a majority, meaning they’ll rely on votes from other parties to pass their agenda, but even that performance was unimaginable at the start of the year, when they were polling 24 points behind the Conservatives on average.
This past weekend, Australia’s Labour Party secured a second term for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, expanding its majority in what Australian analysts have been calling a landslide. Just two months ago Australia’s conservative party, the Liberal-National Coalition, was leading in the polling averages.
Both countries are facing cost of living crises, internal debates over the role of immigration and other domestic conflicts that might have cost the liberal incumbents politically, but Trump’s return to the White House has turned global politics upside down. In both countries, the conservative leaders who got compared to Trump lost not just the election but their own seats in parliament.
Joining me today to discuss are two friends of the podcast, author of The Writ, Eric Grenier, and author of 338 Canada, Philippe Fournier.
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