How is the government formed after a federal election?
Quick answer: Ordinarily, the party with the most elected representatives becomes the party in power. The leader of this party becomes the Prime Minister. In our practice tests 83% of 86 answers were correct, and the most common mistake is choosing “The party with the most elected representatives becomes the party in power. The King chooses the Prime Minister from this party”.
Why is this the correct answer?
After a federal election, the party with the most elected representatives ordinarily forms the government, and its leader becomes Prime Minister. The Governor General formally invites them to form government.
Study Tip
After a federal election in Canada, the party with the most elected representatives plays a significant role in forming the government. This party's leader typically becomes a key figure in the process.
Try it yourself
Can you answer these 3 citizenship test questions?
1. Which party becomes the Official Opposition?
2. What does the term "responsible government" mean?
3. How are Members of Parliament chosen?
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 and a constitutional monarchy. In a federal election, voters in each electoral district choose one Member of Parliament. The candidate with the most votes in a district wins that seat. After the election, the party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons is normally invited by the Governor General to form the government.
The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister then chooses ministers, usually from among elected MPs, to form the Cabinet. The Cabinet runs government departments and proposes most new laws. Discover Canada explains that the Prime Minister and Cabinet must keep the confidence of the House of Commons. If they lose a confidence vote, they must resign or ask the Governor General to call an election. This principle is called responsible government.
The party with the second-most seats usually becomes the Official Opposition, whose job is to question and challenge the government. If the governing party holds at least half the seats, it is a majority government; if it holds fewer than half, it is a minority government and needs support from other parties. These ideas connect to test questions on responsible government, the Official Opposition, and the role of the Governor General as the King's representative. Remember that the Prime Minister is not elected directly by all Canadians; he or she must first win a seat as an MP in one electoral district.
Why are the other answers wrong?
- The Governor General picks a party and a Prime Minister to run the government: The Governor General follows the election results and constitutional convention; it is not a free personal choice.
- Each province elects one representative to form the government. The King then chooses the Prime Minister: Each electoral district, not each province, elects an MP, and there are 343 of them.
- The party with the most elected representatives becomes the party in power. The King chooses the Prime Minister from this party: The King does not pick a person from the party. The party's own leader becomes Prime Minister.
What is the most common mistake?
People often think the King or the Governor General personally picks the Prime Minister. In practice the leader of the party with the most seats becomes Prime Minister; the Governor General's role is formal.
How can you remember the answer?
Most seats, then its leader leads: seats decide the party, the party's leader becomes PM.
Original data
How many people get this question right?
83% of 86 practice answers from about 64 people were correct. The most common wrong answer is "The party with the most elected representatives becomes the party in power. The King chooses the Prime Minister from this party", chosen 8% 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 77th 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.
Practice This Chapter
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.