Ottawa:
Jagmeet Singh has officially stepped down as the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), with Vancouver-area MP Don Davis taking over as interim leader. Singh’s resignation follows a discouraging performance by the NDP in the federal election held on April 28th.
This change was announced after a meeting of the NDP National Council, which consulted with the Caucus. The party mentioned in a statement that Davis will collaborate closely with both the Caucus and party members to prepare for the upcoming leadership race.
Davis has been an MP since 2008, most recently winning his seat in Vancouver Kingsway with 37.2% of the votes. Prior to this, he served as the party’s financial critic and was part of the National Security Committee.
Jagmeet Singh’s Departure
Entering politics in 2011 by winning a seat in the Ontario Parliament, Singh led the NDP since 2017, making history as the first leader of the Federal Party in Canada.
Following the party’s significant loss—securing only seven seats out of 25 in the recent election—Singh resigned on election night. The NDP has lost its official status in the House, as it now holds fewer than the necessary 12 seats.
Singh also lost his own seat in Burnaby Central, finishing third with 18.18% of the vote, falling behind both the Liberal and Conservative candidates.
The NDP’s poor showing has been linked to Singh’s choice to engage in a supply and trust agreement with the former minority government of Justin Trudeau in March 2022. Throughout Singh’s tenure, the NDP has faced challenges in Parliament.
Even after Trudeau’s departure in January, Singh struggled to distance himself from a government that had faced widespread unpopularity during his leadership.
Singh’s stance on Khalistan has also drawn criticism, notably when the Indian government denied him a visa in 2013 to visit Amritsar, a significant location for Sikhs.
