Justin Trudeau, Canada’s Prime Minister since 2015, announced his resignation on Monday. He said he would step down as soon as the ruling Liberal Party selects a new leader.
“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. This announcement follows months of political challenges, declining poll numbers, and internal party conflicts.
Trudeau explained that the Liberal Party’s leadership race would be “a robust, nationwide competitive process.” However, it remains unclear how long he will stay in office as a caretaker prime minister.
Political analysts believe the Liberals need to act swiftly. “Traditionally, a leadership race takes four to six months, but they’ve got to be quicker than that,” said Lori Turnbull, a political science professor at Dalhousie University.
The resignation comes amid rising tensions within the Liberal Party. In December, former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland resigned, accusing Trudeau of prioritizing political tactics over sound governance.
In her resignation letter, Freeland criticized Trudeau’s focus on voter-appeasing measures like a costly Christmas tax holiday rather than preparing for potential economic challenges. Her departure deepened divisions within the party.
Potential contenders for the Liberal leadership include Freeland and Mark Carney, a former governor of both the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada.
Trudeau’s resignation adds to the uncertainty facing Canada, especially with the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump set to take office. Trump has threatened a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, which could severely impact Canada’s economy.
Trudeau promised to retaliate against such tariffs, saying the country would defend its interests.
Trudeau’s Liberal government, trailing in polls behind the opposition Conservatives, narrowly survived three non-confidence votes in parliament last year. The minority government had relied on support from the left-wing New Democratic Party, but the NDP recently announced they would no longer support Trudeau’s government.
To buy time for a leadership transition, Trudeau received permission to suspend all parliamentary business until March 24, limiting the opposition’s ability to force a vote of no confidence.
Trudeau’s tenure has been marked by both achievements and controversies. While he introduced progressive policies and championed diversity, his later years in office were overshadowed by internal party disputes and declining public support.
The coming months will determine who takes over the Liberal Party and whether they can restore the party’s standing before the next election.
