By Tonia Okereke
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday announced his resignation.
Trudeau steps down after nine years as Canadian prime minister.
The prime minister is leaving after a period of crises, he will exit the exalted office once a new ruling party leader is chosen.
“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its new leader,” the 53-year-old leader told reporters at a news conference in Ottawa on Monday.
“I care deeply about this country and I will always be motivated by what is in the best interests of Canadians. And the fact is, despite best efforts to work through it, parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority parliament in Canadian history,” he said, adding that the country’s parliament will be suspended until March 24 while a new leader is chosen.
Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party for 11 years and prime minister for nine, was facing a mounting set of crises, from Donald Trump’s tariff threats to the resignation of key allies and disastrous opinion polls. His resignation could be seen as the PM choosing to jump before he is pushed, ahead of a general election to be held later this year that he is widely expected to lose, according to CNN.
The election must be held on or before October 20, but could be brought forward. Polls show Trudeau’s Liberal Party is set to badly lose to the opposition Conservative Party, led by the firebrand Pierre Poilievre.
“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,” said Trudeau on Monday.
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