Canada holds federal elections to choose members of parliament, and the prime minister is generally the leader of the party that wins the most seats in these elections. By law, federal general elections are held on a fixed date: the third Monday in October in the fourth calendar year following the previous general election. This means elections are held every four years under normal circumstances. However, the prime minister can request the governor general to dissolve parliament and call for an earlier election, such as in cases of a vote of no confidence or other political reasons. The maximum duration of a parliament is five years by the Canadian Constitution, but general elections are usually held every four years based on the fixed-date schedule.