Ottawa, January 6, 2025 – The Europe Today: In a live address on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to step down from both his role as party leader and as prime minister, following a period of political turmoil and growing discontent within his government. However, he confirmed he would remain in office until the Liberal Party selects a replacement.
“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister,” Trudeau stated, addressing the nation in Ottawa. The announcement comes after several top allies within the Liberal Party urged him to step down amid mounting internal and external pressures. Trudeau, who has led Canada since 2015, expressed that the time had come for a new leader to take charge.
Trudeau said he had asked the president of the Liberal Party to initiate the process of selecting a new leader, signaling the beginning of a leadership race. The timing of his resignation and the leadership race will coincide with the suspension of Parliament until March 24, a decision that was confirmed by an official familiar with the matter. Parliament had initially been scheduled to resume on January 27.
The decision to step down follows months of political strife, which intensified following the sudden departure of Trudeau’s finance minister late last year. The departure marked a visible fracture within his government and the Liberal Party, with rising dissatisfaction over issues such as the escalating cost of living, particularly food and housing, contributing to his declining popularity.
Despite his long tenure, Trudeau acknowledged that “internal battles” within his party had made him “not the best option” to lead the country into the next election. Trudeau’s leadership, which once heralded a return to Canada’s liberal roots, has seen increasing challenges as his approval ratings dropped.
The timing of the political upheaval is particularly challenging for Canada on the international stage. Tensions with the United States have been escalating, as President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian goods unless Canada takes more stringent measures to address the flow of migrants and drugs into the U.S. Despite the fact that far fewer migrants and drugs cross from Canada than from Mexico, Trump has singled out Canada in his broader policy framework.
Trudeau’s resignation marks the end of an era for Canada’s political landscape, as the country prepares for significant leadership changes and grapples with its position on the world stage.
