ONTARIO – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday stepped down and the country’s parliament will be suspended until March 24.
Trudeau, 53, reflected on his tenure with a particular regret about the election system, and expressed wish that Canada’s election process could have been reformed to allow voters to select multiple choices on the same ballot.
He said Parliament will be suspended until March 24, as the decision comes after months of political gridlock, with Liberal Party of Canada party citing need for a new session to allow for fresh leadership. He will remain in office until a new leader is chosen.
Canada saw series of challenges, including significant political setbacks, public discontent, and growing crises. In particular, the premier faced pressure from a surge in polling numbers favoring the opposition Conservative Party. His leadership has also been marred by controversies such as past blackface incidents and criticism over pandemic vaccine mandates.
Trudeau entered politics in 2008 and rising to the role of party leader a decade back, he led Liberals to victory in 2015 and won re-election in 2019 and 2021. However, his popularity has steadily declined in recent years, as Liberal Party struggled to maintain a governing majority.
With a general election expected later this year, his resignation will leave the Liberal Party without a permanent leader as it faces what is anticipated to be a tough race against the Conservatives.
More updates to follow on this…
