TORONTO – Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Liberal Party lost its absolute majority in Parliament in nationwide voting on Monday, but still outdistanced its rivals and appeared likely to hold on to power by forming the nation’s first minority government in 25 years.

Projections by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., based on partial returns, showed that the Liberals, who have held the government for 11 years, were ahead, winning 137 seats in Parliament, short of the 155 needed to retain a majority.

But the Conservative Party, led by Stephen Harper, which expected a boost at the polls because of anger over a government financial scandal, was unable to gain as many seats as it hoped.

Nearly complete returns showed the Conservatives winning 93 seats in the new Parliament. The Bloc Quebecois party was projected to win 55 seats and the New Democratic Party 22 seats. The Liberals would have to form an alliance with a smaller party to form a new government.

It appeared Monday night that the Liberals would attempt to form a coalition with the New Democratic Party.

Martin, who was widely seen as running a botched campaign in his effort win a fourth consecutive term for the ruling Liberals, voted in Quebec. He returned home Monday morning after flying across the country, attempting to rally voters to remain with his party. He charged that Harper, his main rival, had a hidden agenda to stop same-sex marriage, change abortion laws and privatize Canada’s free public health care system.

Harper, who advocates cutting taxes and increasing military spending, voted in Calgary, Alberta. In last-minute campaigning on Sunday in Alberta, he argued that the Liberal Party was corrupt, citing an ongoing financial scandal. He characterized Martin as “a desperate man.”

In the crucial province of Ontario, it appeared the Liberals had captured more than 60 of the 106 seats. In Quebec, Bloc Quebecois had picked up 18 seats and had an early total of 52 seats. The Liberals lost 17 seats in Quebec.

Political analysts said that in Atlantic Canada, many members of the old Progressive Conservative Party voted for the Liberals instead of for the new Conservative Party. Preston Manning, the leader of the former Reform Party, said in a televised interview: “When Atlantic Canada is worried, they go with the devil they know. When the West is worried, they tend to stir up the pot.”

Antonia Maioni, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada at McGill University, said no party was able overcome traditional regional differences, despite projections. “Canada remains very much a regionalized country. The House of Commons will look more regionalized than ever,” Maioni said. “I think it sort of proves it is very difficult to be a national party in Canada.”