Canadian Trudeau steps down as leader of the Liberal Party amid pressure Politics news

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is resigning after nine years amid pressure from his party and low public approval ratings.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party amid mounting pressure to step down from within the party.

He added from a podium outside his residence at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Monday that he would also step down as prime minister once a new leader is chosen.

“I intend to resign from my position as party leader, as Prime Minister, after the party chooses its next leader through a vigorous, competitive, nationwide process. “Last night I asked the leader of the Liberal Party to begin this process,” Trudeau said.

In announcing the decision, the Prime Minister referred to the upcoming federal elections, which must be held before October 20 of this year.

“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I have to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best choice in that election,” Trudeau explained.

Trudeau, who has been in power for nine years, has seen his popularity decline in recent months, as his government narrowly survived a series of no-confidence votes and calls for retaliation from critics. For his resignation.

Pressure mounted on the 53-year-old Trudeau after former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned in December, following a disagreement over how to respond to US President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.

Days later, Trudeau announced a major reshuffle of his cabinet, changing a third of his team in an attempt to settle the political turmoil.

While a number of representatives of the ruling Liberal Party called publicly The Prime Minister is to step down After Freeland’s resignation, many continued to stand by Trudeau despite mounting pressure.

Trudeau’s departure leaves the party without a permanent president at a time when opinion polls indicate the Liberals will lose badly to the official opposition Conservatives in the federal election.

Trudeau trails his main rival, Conservative Pierre Poilievre, by about 20 points in public opinion polls, amid a host of challenges facing Canada, from the housing crisis to the high cost of living.

Political legacy

Trudeau came to power in 2015 and led the Liberals to two more victories at the ballot box — in 2019 and 2021.

Trudeau entered politics after working as a figure skating coach, bartender, bouncer and teacher, and was first elected in 2008 to the House of Commons to represent a working-class Montreal neighbourhood.

In his first two terms as prime minister, he introduced reforms in the Senate, signed a new trade deal with the United States, and imposed a carbon tax to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The father-of-three also legalized cannabis, held a public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women, and passed legislation allowing medically assisted suicide.