Updated on 17.54
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as head of the Canadian government on Monday afternoon (January 6). Trudeau, who has been in office for more than nine years, did so at the height of the government crisis. TASR informs about it according to the AFP agency.
“I intend to step down as party leader and as prime minister,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa after a long-running political crisis in which several members of his center-left Liberal Party of Canada called for his resignation. Trudeau will remain in office until the party elects a new leader.
“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it is clear to me that if I have to lead internal party battles, I cannot be the best choice,” declared the outgoing prime minister.
The DPA agency reminds that Trudeau’s minority government, which is already very unpopular, was dealt a big blow last month by the resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. She got into a dispute with the prime minister on the issue of economic policy.
Justin Trudeau came to power in 2015 after ten years of Conservative Party rule. The public initially welcomed his victory and saw it as a return of the country to its liberal past.
However, the popularity of the 53-year-old son of one of Canada’s most famous prime ministers, Pierre Trudeau, has plummeted in recent years. According to the AP, this happened due to a range of problems, including skyrocketing food and housing prices, as well as an increased influx of immigrants.
The role of Donald Trump
The political instability in Canada comes at a time when the country is facing multiple challenges – not the least of which is the economic threat. It was launched by incoming US President Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20.
Trump has vowed to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods if the country does not secure a common border against the flow of migrants and illegal drugs — economists warn the levy could be devastating for Canada, writes
The “serious challenge” it posed was discussed in the resignation letter of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who said she was not sure Trudeau was taking the threat seriously enough.
The Canadian Parliament will now be suspended until March 24. The Liberals should choose a new leadership by then. All three main opposition parties have already announced that they plan to initiate a vote of no confidence in the government after parliament resumes. The AP agency therefore considers early elections almost certain. At the same time, voting on the regular date should have taken place by October 20.
Who could replace him?
As he reports, as speculation swirled for months that Trudeau might step down, a list of potential replacements emerged:
- About former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has long been considered as a possible successor to Trudeau. Freeland served as finance minister before abruptly resigning in December amid a rift between her and Trudeau over spending and how to deal with the threat of incoming tariffs from US President-elect Donald Trump.
- Former central banker Mark Carney he was previously head of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. He is a Liberal who has served as a special adviser to Trudeau in recent months.
- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is an Oxford-educated lawyer, has represented Canada since 2021.
- Dominic Leblanc, Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs, he is a longtime friend of Trudeau and one of his closest allies. He was an MP for more than two decades and previously expressed ambitions to lead the Liberal Party, campaigning in 2008 but losing to Michael Ignatieff.
- Christy Clark, former Premier of British Columbia in recent months she has expressed her interest in joining the Liberal leadership.
