Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces resignation
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation as both the leader of the Liberal Party and the prime minister of Canada. The announcement comes amid growing internal pressures and declining popularity among voters.
Trudeau, who has served as the prime minister since 2015, stated in a televised address that “internal battles” within the party have made it clear that he “cannot be the best option” for the upcoming election. He has asked the president of the Liberal Party to begin the process of selecting a new leader.
Liberal Party of Canada President Sachit Mehra shared his statement on his X profile, also saying, “In accordance with the Liberal Party’s Constitution, I will call a meeting of the National Board, to be held this week, to begin the nation-wide democratic process of selecting a new leader of the Party.”
Please see my statement below.
More details on leadership race timelines and processes can be found in the Liberal Party of Canada’s Constitution: https://t.co/4afT2oDcHj pic.twitter.com/d9HR7sdLYC
— Sachit Mehra (@Sachitmehra) January 6, 2025
Neither Trudeau’s nor the Canadian PM’s official X account has made a post informing of the announcement at the time of this writing. The last post from Trudeau’s account was about Canadian families seeing their child care fees come down, while the PM’s account posted link to the televised address. Canadian independent media organization CPAC posted the news on their website, however.
The resignation follows a series of challenges faced by Trudeau’s government, including the abrupt departure of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland late last year, signaling growing turmoil within the administration. Trudeau’s leadership has also been under scrutiny due to rising discontent over issues such as the soaring cost of living, housing affordability and immigration.
Trudeau’s departure leaves the Liberal Party without a permanent leader ahead of the general election, which must be held on or before October 20. The timing of his resignation allows for a leadership race within the party, with Parliament being set to be suspended until March 24 to facilitate the process.
Trudeau, the son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, initially gained widespread praise for returning Canada to its liberal roots. However, his popularity has waned in recent years, leading to calls for his resignation from within his own party.
As the Liberal Party prepares for a leadership race, the political landscape in Canada remains uncertain. Trudeau’s resignation marks the end of an era and sets the stage for a new chapter in Canadian politics.
Featured photo is an extracted version of the Official portrait of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The original version of the official portrait is by the Office of the Prime Minister.
