Attempting to leverage his job approval as the nation celebrates more than 70% of eligible citizens being fully vaccinated, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday triggered a national election which will be held on September 20th, the Associated Press reports.
“We’ve had your back, and now it’s time to hear your voice,” Trudeau said. “Canadians need to choose how we finish the fight against COVID-19.”
Despite the government’s success at distributing the vaccine, Trudeau’s election call holds significant risk for the liberal government. Trudeau is not universally popular in Canada, and he holds the Prime Minister position despite his Liberal Party not holding the majority of seats in Parliament. Should the Liberal Party fail to win a majority of seats, Trudeau may not hold his leadership role in the party.