What’s next for Pierre Poilievre?

After suffering a crushing defeat as party leader and losing his own riding of Carleton, Ontario, which he had represented for 20 years, Pierre Poilievre will have to decide whether he wishes to remain leader of the Conservative Party, a role he has held since 2022.

The Liberals’ victory, in one of the greatest political reversals in Canadian history, raises a central question: was Poilievre’s popularity real, or was it merely a mirror effect of Justin Trudeau’s growing unpopularity?

Donald Trump’s recent actions, and their resonance in Canada, may have made the electorate realize that Poilievre, by echoing almost word for word the positions and attacks of the American president, was not the image of the prime minister Canadians wanted.

By polarizing the debate in the manner of the MAGA movement and multiplying his attacks on a large segment of the population, in the image of Donald Trump, Pierre Poilievre has not only lost an election, he may have compromised his credibility with the majority of Canadians.

While many also want Poilievre to remain at the head of the Conservative Party and win a seat to fully assume his role as Leader of the Opposition in the House, dissenting voices are emerging within the party itself.

Some Conservatives are already calling for his departure, holding him largely responsible for the humiliating defeat he suffered in the election… and in his own riding.

As the Leader of the Opposition must sit in the House of Commons, Pierre Poilievre is faced with two options. He can either wait for a Conservative MP to give up his seat to run in that riding, a process that will take several months and require the appointment of an interim leader, or he can choose to step down as party leader. He will also have to rely on the cooperation of Premier Mark Carney and the Liberals to succeed in returning to the House.