Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will resign

Following the announcement of a new Liberal Party leader, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated his intention to step down from his positions as party leader and prime minister.

"I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide, competitive process," he said Monday from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, as The Independent reported.

The prime ministership will be held by Trudeau until March 24. He will be succeeded by a new leader of the Liberal Party.

Trudeau submitted a request to the governor general on Monday to postpone the commencement of the 2025 session of the Canadian Parliament until March 24, as opposed to the original date of January 27.

Trudeau's Remarks

During remarks offered in English and French, Trudeau said he shared the news with his children the night before: "I'm a fighter. Every bone in my body has always told me to fight because I care deeply about Canadians. I care deeply about this country, and I will always be motivated by what is in the best interest of Canadians," the prime minister said.

Trudeau expressed his conviction that his resignation will "bring the temperature down" and enable Parliament to reestablish itself and prioritize the interests of Canadians.

"Parliament needs a reset, I think, needs to calm down a bit and needs to get to work for Canadians," Trudeau said when answering reporters' questions following his announcement.

"Removing me as the leader who will fight the next election for the party should decrease the polarization that we have right now," he said.

Other Canadian Reactions

Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, addressed Trudeau's resignation on Monday, characterizing it as a "political maneuver" and dismissing it as a "trick."

"Nothing has changed," Poilievre said in a video statement posted on X.

Poilievre contended that the Liberal Party as a whole is held equally responsible for the succession of poor decisions made during Trudeau's tenure, underscoring that the issues are not limited to the outgoing prime minister. Poilievre is a candidate for the position of prime minister.

The development took place one month after Chrystia Freeland, Canada's deputy prime minister and finance minister, resigned from Trudeau's Cabinet, which appears to indicate that there is instability within his government. In 2015, Trudeau, the 53-year-old leader of the Liberal Party, assumed the role of the 23rd prime minister of Canada.