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A new leader is set to take over in Prince Edward Island.
Islanders headed to the polls on Tuesday and embraced the province’s century-old two-party system, but it came with a twist.
For the first time ever, the Green party earned official Opposition status, while the Tories won a minority government.
‘We made a promise to lead with civility and respect and we are going to do that every day as your Government of Prince Edward Island’
- @dennyking pic.twitter.com/pU7QpzUlLX— PEI PC Party (@PEIPCParty) April 24, 2019
That means Tory leader Dennis King will become the new Premier of the country’s smallest province.
"Welcome to a new day in Prince Edward Island!" King told supporters, who immediately roared their approval.
"Welcome to a new era of Island politics. Welcome to the tremendous honour and the tremendous responsibility of governing."
King said that Tuesday’s results showed the voters in P.E.I. want their political parties to work together.
When all polls reported their final numbers, the Tories had won 12 seats, the Green held eight and the incumbent Liberals, led by Premier Wade MacLauchlan, had won six.
For the Tories, that meant 37% of the popular vote with the Greens earning 31%, the Liberals getting 29% and the NDP receiving just 3%.
It was a tight race that produced the first minority government in P.E.I. since 1890.
With files from the Canadian Press.