The Democrats and Republicans try to keep them off the ballot. But third-party campaigns can inject new ideas and force major parties to incorporate a wider array of interests.
Regardless of a given leader’s shortcomings, in some instances structural elements may also significantly influence the fate of party leaders in Canada and abroad.
The Green Party breakthrough in Prince Edward Island and positive result in British Columbia foreshadows the party’s prospects at the federal level in the fall.
Centenary Research Professor, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra; Professor of Political Science, London School of Economics and Political Science