CNN
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce on Monday that he will step down as leader of the ruling Liberal Party, but will remain in office until a new leader is chosen, a source close to the prime minister told CNN.
Prime Minister Trudeau is expected to make the announcement at a press conference scheduled for 10:45 a.m. ET on Monday.
Trudeau, who served as Liberal Party leader for 11 years and prime minister for nine years, faced a series of mounting crises, from Donald Trump’s tariff threats to the resignations of key allies and dire public opinion polls. His resignation will likely be seen as the prime minister’s decision to jump before he is pushed into a general election later this year, which he is widely expected to lose.
As a result of this move, the Liberal Party will be without a permanent leader until the general election, but according to opinion polls, the Liberal Party is expected to suffer a crushing defeat to the opposition Conservative Party led by firebrand Pierre Poièvre. Elections must be held by October 20, but could be brought forward.
The Liberal Party national executive, which manages leadership issues, is expected to meet this week, possibly after the caucus.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s government was shaken by the sudden resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, hours before she was scheduled to release her annual financial report.
In her fiery resignation letter, she criticized Trudeau’s “political maneuvers”, likely referring to a two-month sales tax holiday and a C$250 ($175) rebate for most workers. It seems that there are.
Freeland said the policy comes as Canada faces the serious prospect of huge tariffs that could be imposed by the incoming Trump administration, seen as pre-election benefits to win back some voters. “We can’t afford it,” he said.
President Trump, who is scheduled to return to the White House on January 20, announced that he will sign an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all products imported into the United States from Canada. President Trump also disparaged Trudeau and Canada on social media, calling him the “governor” of a “great Canadian province.”
Prime Minister Trudeau brought the Liberal Party to power in 2015, promising a “sunny road” for Canada. Although he championed progressive issues such as combating climate change and addressing historic abuses against indigenous peoples, his final years as prime minister were marked by growing economic discontent.
A widespread standoff with steelworkers, who criticized Trudeau for not addressing the high cost of living, captured growing frustration among Canadians.
“Justin, you’re not doing anything for us,” the employee said, emphasizing a sentiment that resonated widely.
Prime Minister Trudeau has been elected three times, most recently in 2021, but lost his party’s majority. Since then, Poièvre’s Conservative Party has built an average national poll lead of more than 20 percentage points over the Liberals.
Poièvre has recently found supporters among some of Trump’s base, including Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest men and owner of Company X. Late last year, Mr. Musk called Mr. Trudeau an “intolerable tool,” adding that Mr. Trudeau “won’t be in power for long.” Longer. ”
