Canada´s Green Party chief bows out after elections

MONTREAL: Canada´s Green Party leader Elizabeth May announced her resignation Monday, two weeks after parliamentary elections in which her group did not fare as well as it had hoped.

"As of today, effective today, I am no longer leader of the Green Party of Canada," May said, adding that she would remain active on climate change.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter: "@ElizabethMay, you´ve been a champion for the environment for decades, and your leadership on the climate crisis has helped push our country forward. I know you´ll continue to inspire Canadians of all ages & political stripes to fight for a better & cleaner future."

The Greens won three seats in the elections, against two in the outgoing assembly. But the party had hoped to have more elected officials so as to able to influence the policy of the new government.

Trudeau was reelected but denied the absolute majority he won in the 2015 federal election. He now needs the support of other parties to pass legislation in Parliament.

The Greens had the best score in their history, but they finished fifth, far behind Trudeau´s Liberal Party (157 seats), Andrew Scheer´s Conservative Party (121), Yves-Francois Blanchet´s Bloc Quebecois (32) and the New Democratic Party of Jagmeet Singh (24).

Thanks to Canadians´ growing interest in climate issues, the Green Party won 6.5 percent of the vote, or more than one million people, according to Elections Canada.

This is an absolute record for the group, which has remained relatively marginal since it was created more than 35 years ago.

An interim leader, former journalist Jo-Ann Roberts, has been appointed and May´s successor will be selected in a party vote in October 2020.