After a federal election, which party forms the new government?
Quick answer: The party with the most elected representatives is invited by the Governor General to become the party in power. In our practice tests 91% of 77 answers were correct, and the most common mistake is choosing “The Governor General proposes a law for elected officials to become the governing body”.
Why is this the correct answer?
After a federal election, the Governor General invites the leader of the party with the most elected representatives (seats) to form the government. This is a core principle of Canadian parliamentary democracy.
Study Tip
Think about the role of the Governor General in Canada's system of government and how they interact with the elected representatives. The correct answer involves a formal invitation process.
Try it yourself
Can you answer these 3 citizenship test questions?
1. How are Senators chosen?
2. How does a bill become a law?
3. Who is Canada's Head of State?
The real test has 20 questions in 45 minutes. You need 15 correct to pass.
Take the full citizenship practice testWhat should you know about this topic?
Canada is a parliamentary democracy. In a federal election, voters in each of the country's electoral districts (also called ridings) elect one Member of Parliament to sit in the House of Commons. Canadians do not vote directly for a government or for a Prime Minister. Instead, the makeup of the House of Commons decides who will govern.
After the votes are counted, the Governor General, who represents the Sovereign in Canada, invites the leader of the party with the most elected members to form the government. That leader becomes the Prime Minister and chooses Cabinet ministers. If the party holds at least half of the seats, it is called a majority government. If it holds fewer than half, it is a minority government and must keep the support of other parties to pass laws and stay in power. The party with the second-most seats usually becomes the Official Opposition, whose job is to question and challenge the government.
This process is a key part of responsible government: the government must keep the confidence of the elected House of Commons. If it loses a confidence vote, such as a vote on the budget, it usually resigns or asks for an election. Related test topics include the role of the Governor General, the difference between majority and minority governments, and how the Prime Minister is chosen.
Why are the other answers wrong?
- The King himself picks any party to run the government: The King is Canada's Head of State, but he does not choose the governing party. His representative, the Governor General, follows the result of the election.
- The Premiers of each province pick a party to run the government: Premiers lead provincial governments and have no role in choosing the federal government. Only the results in the House of Commons matter.
- The Governor General proposes a law for elected officials to become the governing body: No law is passed to create a government after an election. The Governor General simply invites the leader of the party with the most seats to form the government.
What is the most common mistake?
Many people think the King or the Governor General freely picks the government. In practice, the Governor General follows the election result and invites the party with the most seats to govern.
How can you remember the answer?
Most seats = first seat. The party that wins the most seats gets the first invitation to govern.
Original data
How many people get this question right?
91% of 77 practice answers from about 53 people were correct. The most common wrong answer is "The Governor General proposes a law for elected officials to become the governing body", chosen 6% of the time. The data covers practice tests on BecomeACitizen.ca from March 31, 2026 to September 30, 2026.
How hard is this question compared with others?
It is the 31st easiest of the 167 questions we have enough data to rank. The average for the How Canadians Govern Themselves chapter is 77% correct, and the average across all questions is 75%. You need 75% to pass the real test.
These are practice questions written from the official Discover Canada guide. IRCC does not publish the real test questions. See the full ranking in the 20 most-missed citizenship test questions or browse more How Canadians Govern Themselves questions.
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Test yourself with questions from How Canadians Govern Themselves. Timed mock tests, instant scoring, and detailed explanations.
Which part of Discover Canada is this question from?
This question is from the How Canadians Govern Themselves section of the Canadian citizenship test. The test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions drawn from the official Discover Canada study guide. You need to score at least 75% (15 out of 20 correct) to pass.
This chapter has 47 questions in our database. Studying chapter by chapter is one of the most effective ways to prepare, as it helps you build deep understanding of each topic before moving to the next.
How should you study for the citizenship test?
Start by reading the complete how-to-pass guide, then work through each chapter in the study mode. When you feel ready, take a full exam simulation with the real 45-minute time limit.