Alberta NDPers overwhelmingly chose former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi as their new leader on Saturday as the party hopes Nenshi’s popularity will lead it to power in the next election. Nenshi becomes the first South Asian and first from Calgary to lead the Alberta New Democrats, easily securing the win with 86 per cent of the vote on the first ballot of the party's biggest leadership contest. The race was pegged as a battle between the NDP's ideological roots and political pragmatism in the traditionally conservative province.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files

CALGARY — Alberta NDPers overwhelmingly chose former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi as their new leader on Saturday as the party hopes Nenshi’s popularity will lead it to power in the next election.

Nenshi becomes the first South Asian and first from Calgary to lead the Alberta New Democrats, easily securing the win with 86 per cent of the vote on the first ballot of the party's biggest leadership contest.

The race was pegged as a battle between the NDP's ideological roots and political pragmatism in the traditionally conservative province.

Party members, who ballooned fivefold to 85,000 during the campaign, opted for Nenshi's sharp wit and far-reaching public profile.

Nenshi lost no time in launching attacks against his newest political foe, using his victory speech in Calgary on Saturday to describe Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative government as small-minded, reported Canadian Press.

"This extraordinary movement that we created together is an example of what is possible when we stop thinking small and start thinking big," he told the cheering crowd of party faithful.

He said the party's 85.6 per cent voter turnout is unheard of.

Nenshi encouraged members, staff and volunteers to embrace building a campaign-ready machine so that an NDP victory in the 2027 general election becomes inevitable.

"It will not be easy at all. We are going against a well-funded, well-oiled political machine on the other side."

"For us winning that election means having the opportunity to build that home for all Albertans," he said.

Nenshi made international headlines when he became the first Muslim mayor of a major North American city in 2010. He served three terms before bowing out ahead of the 2021 municipal election.

He now becomes leader of the Opposition but doesn't hold a seat in the legislature.

Former leader Rachel Notley, who was premier from 2015 to 2019, announced in January she was leaving as NDP leader after the party lost its second consecutive election to the United Conservative Party.

Despite last year's loss to Smith, the NDP won 38 of the 87 legislature seats to become the largest Opposition in provincial history.

Courtesy Canadian Press