Saturday’s nail-biting BC election has produced inconclusive election results, with NDP Premier David Eby’s path to forming a government appearing to rely on forming a coalition with the Green Party, which won just two seats.
Neither of these two seats would be occupied by The Green Party’s leader, Sonia Furstenau, who lost her seat.
The current results, as of 11 A.M PST, shows Premier David Eby’s NDP likely to take a reduced mandate of 46 seats, an 11-seat loss from the previous election. The Conservatives have reportedly captured 45 seats, with less than 21,000 votes representing the total gap in the popular vote.
Without the Green leader in the Legislature, it’s doubtful that a split electorate will appreciate a coalition that requires the even more left-leaning Greens.
The BC Conservatives, led by John Rustad, have captured a historic number of seats, though results are still coming in. A Conservative government hasn’t led the province since 1928, and this is by far their closest result since.
During his election speech, Rustad vowed that if the NDP achieves a minority government, he would “stop the destruction of British Columbia and trigger an election as soon as possible.”
The people of British Columbia voted for change, with the NDP incumbent losing eleven seats, signalling growing discontent with unpopular policies such as sweeping decriminalization of hard drugs.
Results continue to be counted, without an official election result being confirmed, indicating a tough path ahead for whoever forms government with the narrowest of leads.
