Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared his intention to resign, marking the end of his nine-year tenure as leader after facing growing pressure from within his own party.
Trudeau stated that he will remain in office until his Liberal Party selects a new leader and that Parliament will be suspended until March 24.
“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election,” he remarked during a press conference on Monday.
Trudeau’s declining popularity among Canadians had increasingly weighed down his party’s prospects ahead of the federal elections later this year.
“Last night, over dinner, I told my kids about the decision that I’m sharing with you today,” he shared at the Ottawa news conference.
“I intend to resign as party leader and as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide competitive process,” he explained.
Sachit Mehra, the president of the Liberal Party, mentioned that the party’s board of directors would meet this week to begin the leadership selection process.
In a statement, he said, “Liberals across the country are immensely grateful to Justin Trudeau for more than a decade of leadership to our party and the country.”
“As Prime Minister, his vision delivered transformational progress for Canadians,” he continued, highlighting initiatives such as the Canada Child Benefit and new dental and pharmacare programs.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre remarked that Trudeau’s resignation changes nothing.
“Every Liberal MP and leadership contender supported EVERYTHING Trudeau did for nine years, and now they want to trick voters by swapping in another Liberal face to keep ripping off Canadians for another four years, just like Justin,” Poilievre posted on X.
In December, internal pressure within the Liberal Party escalated, leading to the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and longtime ally Chrystia Freeland.
Freeland’s public resignation letter criticized Trudeau for his inadequate response to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats on Canadian goods, which posed a serious challenge.
Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, a move economists warn could severely impact Canada’s economy unless it strengthens security along its U.S. border.
On Monday, Trudeau expressed his disappointment that Freeland chose to step down, saying he had hoped she would continue as Deputy Prime Minister.
In response to the tariff threats, Canada announced sweeping new security measures along its border with the United States.
In an online post, Trump asserted that tariff pressure led to Trudeau’s resignation and reiterated his claim that Canada should join the U.S. as “the 51st State.”
“If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese ships that are constantly surrounding them,” Trump wrote.
Since 2019, the Liberal Party has governed as a minority government.
After Freeland’s departure, Trudeau lost the support of key allies such as the left-leaning New Democrats and the Quebec nationalist party, Bloc Quebecois, which had previously supported the Liberal minority government.
The Conservative Party, as the largest opposition, has maintained a strong lead in polls, suggesting the Liberals face likely defeat if elections were held today.
The Liberals are preparing to elect a new leader to guide them into the upcoming elections, which must be held no later than October 20.
A senior government official stated that the leadership race would be an open contest, with the Prime Minister’s Office staying out of the process, leaving the decision entirely to Liberal Party members.
Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet has suggested calling an early election once the Liberals have chosen their new leader.
Justin Trudeau, the son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau—a prominent figure in Canadian politics during the 1970s and ’80s—assumed office in 2015, promising a progressive “Sunny Ways” approach.
His tenure has been marked by a commitment to gender equality in his cabinet, reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples, the introduction of a national carbon tax, a tax-free child benefit, and the legalization of recreational marijuana.
