Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Likely to Resign as Liberal Party Leader

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to resign as the leader of the Liberal Party as early as Monday, according to reports from US broadcaster Fox News. The Mail and Globe, citing anonymous sources within Trudeau’s administration, indicated that the announcement could come this week.

The Liberal Party’s lawmakers are set to convene for a caucus meeting on Wednesday amidst growing demands for Trudeau to step down as party leader.

Uncertainty Over Prime Ministership

It remains unclear whether Trudeau will also relinquish his role as Prime Minister. If he resigns as party leader, a leadership contest would be triggered, and the next party leader would assume the role of Prime Minister.

Mounting Pressure on Trudeau

Trudeau has faced escalating criticism following the resignation of Chrystia Freeland, his Finance Minister, on December 16. Freeland’s departure was marked by a public letter criticizing Trudeau, leading to a wave of speculation about the leadership’s stability.

Since Freeland’s resignation, Trudeau has largely remained out of public view, spending much of his holidays at a resort in western Canada. He has made no definitive statements about his political future.

Economic and Electoral Challenges

The Liberal Party is grappling with stagnating economic growth and declining poll numbers. A recent Nanos Research survey conducted over the holiday season shows the opposition Conservative Party widening its lead ahead of this election year.

Facing the possibility of significant seat losses—most of their current 153—the Liberals have launched pre-election advertisements accusing the Conservatives of planning cuts to social security programs.

External Pressures from the US

Liberal Party representatives from Canada’s border provinces have raised concerns about the potential economic impact of US President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats. A letter from Kody Blois, leader of a group of Liberals representing Canada’s four easternmost provinces, underscored the urgency of Trudeau’s decision amid potential instability.

“The country could face significant economic challenges, particularly with the threat of a 25% US tariff on Canadian imports from the incoming administration,” the letter read.

Nik Nanos, founder of Nanos Research, told Bloomberg that Trudeau’s resignation as party leader would leave him in a weakened position to negotiate with the incoming US administration.

The developments signal a pivotal moment for the Liberal Party and Canada’s political landscape as the country heads into a critical election year.