Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday, following a period of declining public support and internal divisions within his party.
Trudeau stated he would step down after the Liberal Party selects a new leader, marking the end of his leadership since 2015.
“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa, referencing the prolonged political turmoil that led some of his closest allies to urge him to resign.
The timeline for his departure remains unclear, as it depends on the completion of the leadership race within the Liberal Party.
Trudeau emphasized that the process would be “a robust, nationwide competitive process.”
Despite the upcoming leadership transition, Trudeau will remain in office to manage Canada’s response to incoming US president Donald Trump, who is expected to take office later this month.
Trump has threatened a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, a move that could severely affect Canada’s economy. Trudeau has promised to retaliate in the event of such tariffs.
Trudeau’s approval within his party had been slipping for much of the previous year, and it worsened after the surprise resignation of his finance minister and deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, in December.
In her resignation letter, Freeland criticized Trudeau for focusing on short-term political tactics rather than addressing the country’s economic challenges, particularly ahead of Trump’s potential tariffs.
Freeland, along with former Bank of England governor Mark Carney, is being considered as a potential successor.
Political analysts suggest the leadership race could take anywhere from four to six months, but given the urgency, it may be accelerated.
Trudeau’s government has been struggling in the polls, trailing the opposition Conservatives, and barely survived three non-confidence votes in parliament late last year.
His minority government had been propped up by an agreement with the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP), but the NDP announced in December they would seek to topple Trudeau at the next opportunity.
Trudeau also confirmed that he had received permission from Canada’s governor general to suspend all parliamentary business until March 24, potentially giving the Liberals time to select a new leader while limiting the opposition’s chance to bring a non-confidence vote against him.
