Next Left country case study – Canada

Join us for the online launch of the latest volume in the Next Left Country Case Studies series, a flagship publication of the Next Left Research Programme by FEPS and the Karl-Renner-Institut. This series offers in-depth, comparative insights into the evolving landscape of social democratic parties across Europe and beyond, exploring their organisational transformations, electoral trajectories, and future prospects.

This edition turns to Canada and examines the New Democratic Party (NDP), offering a compelling account of the progressive tradition and social democratic influence that has shaped Canadian politics over the past century. Written by David McGrane and Clement Nocos, the volume traces the NDP’s historical roots in the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the Ginger Group, as well as its role in federal minority governments and provincial leadership.

Against the backdrop of the 2025 federal election and a renewed Liberal leadership, the study situates the NDP at a pivotal crossroads, reflecting on its strategic choices and future opportunities in a period marked by global instability and domestic political realignment. It also highlights the distinctiveness of the Canadian social democratic model compared to its U.S. and Commonwealth counterparts, reaffirming the NDP’s enduring role as a key progressive actor—if not always a leading one.

The event will take place online and will feature a discussion of the key findings and reflections by the book’s authors on what the Canadian case reveals about the evolving place of social democracy in contemporary politics.

If you are interested in joining this book launch, please send an email to Iris Vijverberg, FEPS Project Officer (iris.vijverberg@feps-europe.eu).