Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has decided to step down as leader of the Liberal Party, but will remain leader of the country until the next election, CNN reported.
Trudeau is expected to officially announce the decision at a press conference scheduled for today.
Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party for 11 years and prime minister for nine, has been grappling with a growing series of crises, from threats of tariffs by Donald Trump to the resignations of key allies and disastrous poll results.
His resignation would be seen as a decision by the prime minister to “jump before you get pushed” ahead of a general election due later this year, which he is expected to lose.
The move would leave the Liberal Party without a permanent leader ahead of the general election, which polls show will be heavily defeated by the opposition Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre. The election must be held by October 20 at the latest, but could be postponed.
The Liberal Party’s national executive committee, which controls leadership issues, is scheduled for this week, likely after a caucus meeting.
Trudeau has been elected three times, most recently in 2021, when he remained in power but lost his governing majority. Since then, the Conservative Party has built a lead of more than 20% in national polls.
