Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may resign as early as Monday, according to media reports, as he faces growing dissent within his Liberal party.
National newspapers The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star cited sources within Trudeau’s party, stating that they expect him to step down before Wednesday’s national caucus meeting. Both papers reported on Sunday that the announcement could come within the next 24 hours.
Trudeau’s office declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
If confirmed, Trudeau’s resignation would leave the Liberal Party without a leader just months before the upcoming legislative elections, which are set to take place by the end of October.
It remains unclear whether the 53-year-old Trudeau would remain as interim leader or vacate the position immediately upon resigning as prime minister.
Trudeau’s popularity has declined in recent months, with his government narrowly surviving several no-confidence votes, prompting calls for his resignation.
Despite his pledge to remain in office to lead the Liberals through the election, he has faced mounting pressure, particularly from incoming US President Donald Trump, who has threatened a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
In December, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned after disagreeing with Trudeau on how to respond to Trump’s trade policies, marking the first significant dissent within his cabinet.
Later that month, Trudeau reshuffled his cabinet, replacing a third of his team in an attempt to quell the political unrest.
Trudeau met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November in an effort to avert a trade war, but the US president-elect has since criticised him on social media, referring to him as “governor” of Canada and joking that it would be a “great idea” for Canada to become the 51st US state.
Trudeau, who rose to power in 2015, won two additional elections in 2019 and 2021. However, he now trails Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre by 20 points in public opinion polls.
The eldest son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau entered politics later in life after working as a snowboard instructor, bartender, bouncer, and teacher. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008, representing a working-class Montreal constituency.
During his first two terms as prime minister, Trudeau introduced Senate reforms, signed a new trade deal with the US, implemented a carbon tax to combat climate change, legalised cannabis, launched a public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women, and passed legislation allowing medically assisted suicide.
AFP
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