Trudeau Resigns as Canada’s PM After Decade in Power
By Staff, Agencies
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he will step down as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister once a replacement is selected.
After nearly a decade in power, Trudeau cited “internal battles” within the ruling Liberal Party, stating that these conflicts made it impossible for him to lead effectively into the next federal election, originally scheduled for fall 2025 but likely to be expedited.
“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I am having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election,” Trudeau said during a press conference at Rideau Cottage, his official residence in Ottawa.
He announced that he has asked the president of the Liberal Party to initiate the process of selecting a new leader. Trudeau also called for a prorogation of Parliament, temporarily halting all activities until March 24, as lawmakers are currently on a scheduled break set to end on January 27.
Trudeau’s decision follows months of declining support for the Liberal Party amid soaring living costs, high immigration levels, and increasing political scrutiny. Recent polls show the Liberals trailing behind the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, whose popularity has surged.
Opposition leaders and some Liberal MPs had urged Trudeau not to seek a fourth term, with internal party criticism intensifying after Chrystia Freeland, Trudeau’s longtime deputy and Finance Minister, resigned unexpectedly in December.
In her resignation letter, Freeland cited disagreements over the government’s response to US President-elect Donald Trump’s economic policies, including a threatened 25% tariff on Canadian imports.
Shortly after, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, announced plans to introduce a motion in parliament to oust Trudeau.
Trudeau, 53, first rose to prominence in 2000 after delivering a moving eulogy at the funeral of his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who served as Prime Minister from 1968 to 1979 and again from 1980 to 1984.
Trudeau was elected as an MP in 2008, became leader of the Liberal Party in 2013, and secured a surprise majority government in 2015, defeating incumbent Conservative leader Stephen Harper. However, he managed only minority governments in 2019 and 2021.
Trudeau’s early tenure was marked by progressive reforms, including legalizing cannabis, signing a new trade deal with the United States, enacting Senate reforms, passing legislation for medically assisted suicide, and welcoming Syrian refugees.
He also led a public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and championed women’s rights. However, his popularity has waned in recent years, with critics targeting his carbon tax policies, handling of immigration, COVID-19 lockdowns, and the government’s response to the “freedom convoy” protests.
In his announcement, Trudeau expressed confidence in his party’s ability to recover under new leadership. “We need an ambitious, optimistic view of the future, and Pierre Poilievre is not offering that,” he said.
Reflecting on his time in office, Trudeau said he was proud of his government’s efforts to fight for the middle class and reduce poverty but acknowledged that political polarization had hindered progress.
“Removing me from the equation should decrease the level of polarisation that we're seeing right now in Canadian politics and allow people to focus on serving Canadians the way they deserve,” he concluded.
