OTTAWA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) — Canada’s Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau is to continue his third mandate as prime minister in his second minority government.

Trudeau’s party has won 156 seats of the House of Commons in the 44th general election, followed by the Conservative Party with 121 seats, Bloc Quebecois 32, the New Democratic Party 27 and the Green Party two, according to local media.

The final seat tally may not look very different from the composition of the House of Commons when it was dissolved last month.

There are 338 seats in the House, where a party needs to win at least 170 seats to form a majority government. The Liberals held 155 seats at the end of the last House, followed by the Conservative Party with 119 seats, the Bloc Quebecois 32 seats, the New Democratic Party 24 seats and the Green Party two seats.

Facing criticism from opposition parties for calling the election in the midst of the fourth wave of COVID-19, Trudeau called the election on Aug. 15, putting an end to his nearly two-year minority government.

Trudeau billed the snap election bid as a chance for Canadians to have their voices heard about who they want to lead the country out of the COVID-19 crisis, and into a new era of considerable change.

Political opponents argued his decision was motivated by a desire for a majority government and that his sole focus should be on governing, not campaigning, while the pandemic continues to spread throughout the country.