Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he intends to step down as leader of the ruling Liberals after nine years in office but will stay on in his post until the party chooses a replacement.
Trudeau, under heavy pressure from Liberal legislators to quit amid polls showing the party will be crushed at the next election, said at a news conference that parliament would be suspended until March.
That means Trudeau will still be prime minister on Jan. 20 when US President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs that would cripple Canada's economy.
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation as the head of the Liberal Party of Canada.
ReplyDeleteTrudeau also declared that he will resign as prime minister as soon as new leader of the Liberal Party is elected, and that he is proroguing the Canadian parliament until March 24.
Trudeau, who led the party for 11 years, made this announcement as his popularity in the country nearly hit rock bottom.
He has been facing pressure to step down as prime minister following the December 16 resignation of his Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland who claimed that she and Trudeau had been "at odds" over the best path forward for Canada.