Justin Trudeau announces resignation as Canadian Prime Minister

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday, stating that he will step down as soon as the ruling Liberal Party selects a new leader.

“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister,” Trudeau, who has held power since 2015, told reporters in Ottawa. His decision follows a prolonged political crisis, during which prominent Liberal allies had urged him to step down.

The timeline for Trudeau’s departure remains unclear, as it is not immediately known how long he will serve as a caretaker prime minister.

Trudeau emphasized that the leadership race will be “a robust, nationwide competitive process,” suggesting a thorough selection process for his successor.

Trudeau will continue leading Canada as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office this month, with Trudeau responsible for managing Canada’s initial response to the new U.S. administration. Trump has promised to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian imports, a move that could severely impact the Canadian economy. Trudeau has vowed to retaliate if such measures are enacted.

Trudeau’s declining popularity

Trudeau’s popularity within the Liberal Party had been declining throughout much of last year, reaching new lows following the surprise resignation of his former finance minister and deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, in December. In a sharp resignation letter, Freeland accused Trudeau of focusing on political tactics, such as a costly Christmas tax holiday, instead of addressing the country’s finances ahead of Trump’s potential tariffs.

Canadian media have speculated that Freeland may run for the Liberal leadership, along with Mark Carney, a former Bank of England governor and Canadian who previously headed the Bank of Canada.

Lori Turnbull, a political science professor at Dalhousie University, stated that traditionally, a Liberal leadership race takes four to six months, but this time, “they’ve got to be quicker than that.” She added, “If they don’t have a new leader for the next election, then there’s no point.”

Trudeau’s Liberals are trailing significantly in the polls behind the opposition Conservatives. The government narrowly survived three non-confidence votes in parliament late last year. Trudeau’s minority government had been supported by an agreement with the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP), but in December, the NDP indicated they would vote to topple Trudeau at the next opportunity.

Trudeau confirmed that he had received permission from Canada’s governor general to suspend all parliamentary business until March 24, giving the Liberals time to select a new leader while limiting the opposition’s chances to bring a vote of non-confidence.