Unseating is a political term which refers to a legislator who loses their seat in an election. A legislator who isunseated loses the right to sit in a legislative chamber. Alandslide victory results in many legislators being unseated.
In the2025 Australian federal election,Liberal Party leaderPeter Dutton lost his electorate ofDickson, the first time anopposition leader had been defeated in their own seat. Several days later,Greens leaderAdam Bandt lost his seat ofMelbourne.
In the2025 Canadian federal election, Two sitting party leaders failed to win re-election to their parliamentary seats:Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party andJagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party (NDP).
The only Prime Minister to lose their seat at an election was SirRobert Stout in1887.[1] At the1893 and1919 elections the Leader of the Opposition (William Rolleston and SirJoseph Ward respectively) was defeated.[2][3]
Unseating influentialMembers of Parliament is a goal of opposition parties. MPs representingmarginalconstituencies are usually at higher risk of being unseated.
At the1918 election following theFirst World War, formerPrime Minister, theLiberal leader andleader of the oppositionH. H. Asquith lost a seat he had held since 1886. A biographer said of this "the blow was crippling, a personal humiliation which destroyed his hope of exercising any influence on the peace settlement."[4]
Chris Patten,Chairman of the Conservative Party andGerry Adams,President of Sinn Fein were unseated in1992.Michael Portillo, widely expected to be the next Conservative leader, lost his seat at the1997 general election, an event which coined the expression "Portillo moment".[5] At the2015 general election,Ed Balls andSimon Hughes were unseated in political upsets.[6] In 2019, theLiberal Democrat leader,Jo Swinson, was unseated by theScottish National Party.[7] At the2024 general election, former Prime MinisterLiz Truss, record number of Conservative MPs and cabinet members lost their seats.[8]
When an incumbentMember of Congress runs for re-election they may be unseated in the general election. This is more likely if the politician represents aswing state orswing district.