Just In: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigns

Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation from office. Under pressure from his party, Trudeau said he would stay in office until his Liberal Party could choose a new leader, and that parliament would be prorogued or suspended until 24th March 2025.

“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to f!ght internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election,” he said during a press conference Today.

Trudeau’s personal unpopularity with Canadians had become an increasing drag on his party’s fortunes in advance of federal elections later this year.

“Last night, over dinner, I told my kids about the decision that I’m sharing with you today,” he told the news conference in Ottawa.

“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.

The president of the Liberal Party, Sachit Mehra, said a meeting of the party’s board of directors would be held this week to begin the process of selecting a new party leader.

In a statement, he added: “Liberals across the country are immensely grateful to Justin Trudeau for more than a decade of leadership to our Party and the country.”

“As Prime Minister, his vision delivered transformational progress for Canadians, including with the Canada Child Benefit and $10-a-day childcare, Canada’s first-ever national climate plan, support that saved businesses and helped Canadians through a once in a generation global pand3mic, and the establishment of dental care and universal pharmacare,” Mr Mehra said.

Trudeau had faced growing calls to quit from inside his Liberal Party, which ramped up in December when deputy prime minister and long-time ally Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned, citing Trudeau’s perceived failure to not take US President-elect Donald Trump’s thr3ats of tariffs on Canadian goods seriously.

In a public resignation letter, she accused Trudeau of not doing enough to address the issue posed by Trump’s proposals.

Trump has promised to impose a tax of 25% on imported Canadian goods which economists have warned would significantly hurt Canada’s economy unless the country takes steps to increase security on its shared border.

Canada has since announced that it will implement new security measures along the country’s US border.

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