Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce his resignation as Liberal Party Leader as early as Monday, according to a report from Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail.
This follows mounting pressure from within his party, including a growing revolt among Liberal MPs and dismal public opinion polls.
The polls suggest that under Trudeau’s leadership, the Liberal Party is poised for a significant defeat in the upcoming election, with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s party likely to secure a landslide victory.
The exact timing of Trudeau’s resignation remains uncertain, but sources cited by the newspaper indicated that he is expected to make the announcement before the Liberal Party’s national caucus meeting on Wednesday.
One source who recently spoke to the Canadian prime minister emphasised that Trudeau wants to ensure the announcement appears voluntary and not a result of being forced out by his own MPs.
Who will succeed Trudeau?
There is still uncertainty surrounding the process of replacing Trudeau as leader.
Sources suggested that it is unclear whether he will step down immediately or remain as Prime Minister until a new leader is selected.
The Liberal Party’s national executive is scheduled to meet this week to discuss leadership options.
Among the options are appointing an interim leader or holding a shortened leadership contest.
A leadership race, which would likely take at least three months, could be complicated by the need for Trudeau to request prorogation of Parliament.
If the leadership contest is delayed, it would create further uncertainty about who will lead the government.
Some MPs, including Alberta Liberal George Chahal, have expressed a preference for an interim leader, while others, including Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, have been considered for the role by the prime minister.
Trudeau’s troubled times
Trudeau’s leadership has been further undermined following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on December 16.
Freeland’s resignation, amid concerns over the government’s fiscal approach, added fuel to the fire of calls for Trudeau to step down.
The prime minister has largely remained out of the public eye since Freeland posted her sharp resignation letter.
Trudeau spent much of the holidays at a ski resort in western Canada and has not spoken with reporters since returning to Ottawa.
Many MPs, particularly from key regions such as the Atlantic, Ontario, and Quebec, have indicated that they no longer support his leadership.
Despite this, Trudeau’s advisers have been exploring options for him to remain as Prime Minister during the leadership race.
However, the support within his caucus has been waning, with growing reports of dissatisfaction and a belief that Trudeau’s tenure is nearing its end.
Liberal Party’s troubles
Recent polling has shown that the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, hold a significant advantage over the Liberals.
According to an Angus Reid survey, under Trudeau’s leadership, the Liberals are only supported by 13% of voters.
However, if Freeland were to take over as leader, the Liberals’ support would rise to 21%, the highest among the potential leadership contenders.
Other potential candidates for the Liberal leadership include Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Transport Minister Anita Anand, former central banker Mark Carney, and former B.C. Premier Christy Clark.
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