NDP under Jagmeet Singh win fewest seats in 63 years, lose official party status
The New Democratic Party (NDP) has suffered a historic setback in Canada’s 2025 federal election, winning its fewest number of seats in 63 years and losing its official party status in the House of Commons.
They are expected to finish in fourth place, behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party of Canada, which will form government, as well as the Conservative Party of Canada and the Bloc Québécois.
In fact, this is the fewest seats the NDP has secured since the first federal election contested by the party in 1962 during the era of Tommy Douglas.
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Under the leadership of Jagmeet Singh, the NDP failed to gain traction with voters and faced significant losses nationwide. Singh himself was defeated in the riding of Burnaby Central, adding a personal blow to the party’s collapse.
During his concession speech tonight, Singh announced he will resign after an interim party leader is selected.
The loss of official party status, which requires a minimum of 12 seats, means the NDP will now have reduced resources, diminished speaking time, and fewer opportunities to influence parliamentary proceedings. Currently, the party is projected to win seven seats.
The NDP now likely face a period of deep reflection and rebuilding as it fights to remain relevant on the national stage.
The NDP’s previous all-time worst performances were the 1993 federal election, when the party secured just nine seats under leader Audrey McLaughlin, and the 2000 federal election, when they won 13 seats under Alexa McDonough. Under Singh’s leadership, the NDP captured 24 seats in the 2019 federal election and 25 seats in the 2021 election.
Singh and the NDP were highly influential throughout much of the final minority government term of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, with the NDP and Liberals forming a confidence and supply agreement. This lasted until September 2024, when the NDP distanced itself from the Liberals.
“I also want to thank my NDP caucus. This is a team that, together, we brought historic change for people. We brought real change to the lives of Canadians,” said Singh tonight.
Although the party’s influence and capacity are greatly diminished, Singh emphasized that the NDP is here to stay.
“I know that people are concretely better off because of our work over the last eight years, and no election result will ever diminish that… New Democrats built this country. We built the best of Canada. And we aren’t going anywhere,” added Singh.