Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces resignation
Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada has announced that he will be resigning after a new leader is selected, following mounting calls over the past several weeks for him to step aside.
In a speech made Monday morning in both English and French, Trudeau said that while he was "a fighter," he intends to resign as party leader and prime minister after his party names a new leader.
"This country deserves a real choice in the next election," Trudeau said. "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."
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Additionally, the Canadian Parliament will be prorogued until March 24 or not be in session while not being dissolved, with a new election slated to take place to determine new leadership.
The son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau was elected in 2015. During his time in office, he has advanced socially liberal policies on abortion access and LGBT issues.
In July 2016, Trudeau, a baptized Roman Catholic, participated in a gay pride march in Toronto, Ontario, reportedly the first world leader to take part in such a gathering.
Trudeau won a third term as prime minister in September 2021 after calling for a snap election, although his Liberal Party failed to secure a majority in Parliament.
According to Canadian law, a prime minister can formally request that the governor general dissolve Parliament, which will automatically trigger a national election.
At a press conference in August 2021, Trudeau said the election was meant to give his government a mandate to keep fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and organize an economic recovery.
However, controversies over inflation and immigration issues, as well as the threat of tariffs from United States President-elect Donald Trump, caused Trudeau's support to decline considerably.
Last month, Trudeau's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned from his cabinet, citing various disagreements with the administration over the direction of the country.
"Our country today faces a grave challenge. The incoming administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism, including a threat of 25 percent tariffs. We need to take that threat extremely seriously," wrote Freeland.
"Inevitably, our time in government will come to an end. But how we deal with the threat our country currently faces will define us for a generation and perhaps longer. Canada will win if we are strong, smart, and united."
The resignation prompted many politicians, including Jagmeet Singh of the opposition New Democratic Party, to call on Trudeau to resign, reported The Associated Press.
