Harper wins re-election as Canadian PM, to form first majority gov't

OTTAWA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Canada's Conservative Party led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper won the 41st federal election and will form a majority government, the first for the Conservative Party since 1988.

Photo released by Canada's Conservative Party shows its leader and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addresses a rally in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada, May 1, 2011. (Xinhua Photo)

Harper broke the political deadlock that resulted in four elections in the past seven years. Starting in 2004, Canada has had three parliaments in which no single party held a majority of seats.

Supporters of Canada's Conservative Party Leader and Prime Minister Stephen Harper react to results projecting a Conservative majority government in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on May 2, 2011. Canada's Conservative Party led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper won the 41st federal election and will form its first majority government, according to the latest projections of the country's leading television networks. (Xinhua/Christopher Pike)

Canadian voters bought Harper's pitch for a strong, stable government, rather than a parliament in which parties had to work together and compromise to get legislation passed.

According to projections, the Conservative Party would garner 166 of 308 seats up for grabs, while the New Democratic Party would triple its number of seats to more than 100 and become the official opposition party.