Doha, January 07 (QNA) – After weeks of hesitation and uncertainty about his political future, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau surprised Canadians by announcing his resignation as prime minister and Liberal Party leader. However, he made it clear that he would continue to lead both the party and the government until a successor was chosen.
Prime Minister Trudeau is stepping down from the position he has held for nearly a decade as the Liberal Party’s fortunes plummet in opinion polls after losing key political ground in recent by-elections and following the resignations of prominent MPs. I made the decision to step back. Ministers of his government.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s resignation forces Canada to make difficult political choices ahead of the general election, which is expected to be held by October 20 at the latest. The move has shaken up the ruling Liberal Party, which has been in power for decades, and sparked a leadership contest that could determine its future and direction.
In his resignation statement, Prime Minister Trudeau stressed that Canada deserves a real choice in the next election, especially after losing a key ally within his own party, making it impossible for him to confront his political opponents due to internal divisions. He pointed out that it had become. Prime Minister Trudeau has called for Canada’s parliament to be adjourned until March 24, with the possibility of a vote of confidence by the opposition Conservative Party and the New Democratic Party.
This will allow the Liberal Party to hold an internal election to choose a new leader within about three months, and some predict that the next leader may not hold power for long. A recent poll in Canada found former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland to be the frontrunner to lead the Liberal Party, with 23 per cent of respondents backing her.
Former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney received 17 per cent support, while 13 per cent of respondents favored current Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly. Prime Minister Trudeau’s resignation comes after his ally Chrystia Freeland, who served as deputy prime minister and finance minister for many years, resigned in December, citing a loss of trust in Trudeau. It became.
This led to growing calls within the party for Trudeau to resign, as his position, already difficult by the end of last year, became increasingly untenable early this year. Economic factors are the main reason for Prime Minister Trudeau’s decline in popularity.
In 2024, Canada’s economy grew less than expected and inflation rose, leading to his harsh criticism of imposing a “green tax” on carbon emissions. Canadians initially supported the policy, introduced in 2019, but the tax increased from $25 to $85 per tonne over five years, sparking dissatisfaction amid inflation and rising costs of living.
Prime Minister Trudeau has also failed to find a real solution to Canada’s severe housing crisis. The housing crisis has worsened in recent years and is one of the worst in the world, making owning a home in Canada an elusive dream even for large swathes of the middle class. .
Things got even worse for Trudeau after Donald Trump won the new US presidential election. The next U.S. president is threatening to impose tariffs of up to 25% on Canadian goods, a move that economists believe will have a devastating impact on Canada’s trade-dependent economy.
