The Broadbent Institute launched the latest volume in the Next Left Country Case Studies series at an online event, published by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (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 organizational transformations, electoral trajectories, and future prospects.
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For more information regarding this book launch, please email Iris Vijverberg, FEPS Project Officer: iris.vijverberg@feps-europe.eu
Canada’s Next Left Country Case Study 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 Broadbent Institute Director of Policy and Engagement Clement Nocos and Broadbent Research Fellow Dave McGrane, 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 took place online and featured 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.