Liberals fall behind in candidate nominations for election

With a federal election expected soon, political parties in Canada are working to nominate candidates. However, no party has filled all 343 ridings. Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party is significantly lagging behind the others. The Conservatives are leading, having nominated candidates in 258 ridings. The New Democratic Party (NDP) is in second place, with 217 candidates ready. The Green Party has nominated 208 individuals, while the Liberals have only 185 candidates. The Bloc Québécois has candidates for 53 of Quebec's 78 ridings, but only 11 have been officially nominated. Many of the Bloc's current MPs plan to run again. Political experts note that the recent leadership change in the Liberal Party might affect candidate recruitment. Cristine De Clercy, a political science professor, stated that Prime Minister Carney’s leadership could change the interest level for potential candidates. She mentioned that earlier dissatisfaction among MPs had made recruitment hard. The Conservatives have been pushing for an election for a while, which might explain their lead in nominations. Melanee Thomas, another political expert, highlighted that the number of Liberal nominations is unusually low. She believes they need to significantly increase their candidates before the election deadline. Both experts warned about the risks of rushing candidate vetting, which could lead to future problems if past remarks resurface during the campaign. While Parliament is set to resume soon, Carney currently has no seat in the House. The opposition parties have indicated they might challenge the Liberal government if Parliament opens without an election. Many senior officials stress the importance of a strong mandate during uncertain economic times.