Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned on Monday, ahead of general elections later this year in which the ruling Liberal party is polling badly, and amid tensions with President-elect Trump who has threatened steep tariffs on the country over border policies.
“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister,” Trudeau said.
“Last night, I asked the president of the Liberal Party to begin that process. This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.”
Trudeau, 53, has served as prime minister for nine years and as Liberal leader for 11 but was facing mounting crises and troubling polls against the Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre.
Among the recent blows to Trudeau were the public resignation of a top minister, confrontation with the U.S. over Trump’s threats of 25 percent tariffs, conflict over immigration and the high cost of living.
The move comes ahead of an emergency meeting of Liberal legislators on Wednesday.
Canada is set to head to general elections in 2025, to be held on or before Oct. 20.
Talk of Trudeau resigning ramped up after the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in mid-December, who criticized Trudeau as pursuing “costly political gimmicks” in the face of Trump’s tariff threats.
Among Trudeau’s proposals included a two-month sales tax holiday and 250 Canadian dollars ($175) to Canadians.
Trump has trolled Trudeau as Canada’s “governor,” sarcastically calling America’s northern neighbor and NATO ally the “51st state.”
Trump threatened 25 percent tariffs on Canada over demands for the country to do more to root out any illegal immigration and drug trafficking across the border, such instances a fraction of the total numbers of illegal immigration and drug crossings that largely come across America’s southern border.
Trump welcomed Trudeau to his Florida residence, Mar-A-Lago, in the wake of the tariff threats.
