According to a source, Canadian PM Trudeau is expected to step down as party leader as polls fall.
According to a source close to the prime minister, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will resign on Monday that he will resign as leader of the ruling Liberal Party, but he will continue to serve as prime minister until a successor is selected,
The announcement is anticipated to be made by Trudeau during a press conference on Monday at 10.45 a.m. ET.
Trudeau, who led the Liberal Party for eleven years and served as prime minister for nine, was dealing with a growing number of problems, including the resignation of important partners, the threat of tariffs from Donald Trump, and dismal polling. Given that a general election is scheduled for later this year, which he is most likely to lose, his resignation would be interpreted as the PM deciding to jump before he is pushed.
Before the general election, when polls indicated the Liberal Party would lose heavily to the opposition Conservative Party, led by the fiery Pierre Poilievre, the departure would leave the party without a permanent leader. The election may be moved up, but it must take place by October 20 at the latest.
The caucus is expected to be followed this week by a meeting of the Liberal Party national executive, which is in charge of leadership matters.
Hours before she was scheduled to present her annual budget update, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned, shocking Trudeau’s administration.
She denounced Trudeau’s “political gimmicks” in a scathing letter of resignation, most likely alluding to a two-month sales tax holiday and 250 Canadian dollars ($175) in rebates for the majority of employees.
According to Freeland, Canada could “not afford” these policies, which are perceived as a pre-election favor to win back certain voters and come as the nation prepares for the possibility of significant tariffs imposed by the incoming Trump administration.
Trump has stated that he will issue an executive order putting a 25% tariff on all goods entering the US from Canada. He is scheduled to return to the White House on January 20. On social media, Trump has also started disparaging Trudeau and Canada, calling the prime minister the “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.”
Trudeau promised “sunny ways” for Canada when he led the Liberals to victory in 2015. The latter years of his tenure have been characterized by a rise in economic discontent, notwithstanding his advocacy for progressive causes like correcting historical crimes against Indigenous peoples and fighting climate change.
The rising dissatisfaction among Canadians was encapsulated in a viral altercation with a steelworker who accused Trudeau of failing to address the high cost of living.
The employee’s comment, “You’re not really doing anything for us, Justin,” highlighted a sentiment that was widely accepted.
After winning three elections, Trudeau lost his ruling majority but stayed in power in 2021. Since then, national polling averages have shown that Poilievre’s Conservative Party has a lead of almost 20% over the Liberal Party.
Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and the owner of X is among the Trump supporters who have recently taken an interest in Poilievre. Musk referred to Trudeau as “an insufferable tool” late last year and stated that he “won’t be in power for much longer.”