Justin Trudeau on Monday officially announced his resignation as Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Liberal Party. This is the end of Trudeau’s era after being at the top of Canadian politics for nearly a decade. Growing discontent within the party and a rapid decline in public support forced Trudeau to resign. In a statement Monday, Trudeau acknowledged the difficulties of recent years.
What next after Trudeau’s resignation?
Trudeau will continue to serve as acting Prime Minister until the election of a new leader in Canada, so that the continuity of the government is maintained. The Liberal Party will select its new leader through an internal process. This process will be as per the party rules and timelines. The new leader of the Liberal Party will be appointed Prime Minister, provided the party maintains majority in Parliament. According to reports, the proceedings of Parliament will be adjourned till March 24, so that the new leadership can get time to adjust.
Who will be Trudeau’s successor?
Trudeau’s resignation is a major challenge for the Liberal Party, which must now undergo a leadership change before the next federal election, scheduled for October 2025. Trudeau said he has asked the president of his Liberal Party to begin the process of selecting a new leader. He will remain the acting PM until the election of the next leader.
With Trudeau’s resignation, a new race for leadership has begun within the Liberal Party. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who resigned from Trudeau’s cabinet in December over disagreements over economic policy, has emerged as a possible contender. Other names include Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne and former Defense Minister Anita Anand.
The party is also facing increasing pressure from the opposition Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, who currently has a 20-point lead in public opinion.
What is the challenge for the next PM?
Justin Trudeau’s resignation has come at a time when the country is facing increasing tension with America. US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% import duty on Canadian products. Trump has warned of taking this step citing his concerns about migration and trade imbalance. These threats have further increased the uncertainty in the Canadian economy, which will become a major challenge for Trudeau’s successor.
Many important decisions were taken in 10 years
Trudeau’s almost ten-year long tenure is full of many important decisions. During this time, he took big decisions like legalizing cannabis, implementing carbon tax and signing a revised trade agreement with America.
However, in his last years, internal dissent, economic difficulties and the declining popularity of the Liberal Party made his tenure difficult. Trudeau’s resignation marked the end of a political career that had begun with great expectations but ended amid mounting crises domestically and internationally.
How is the Prime Minister elected in Canada?
In Canada, the Prime Minister is elected under the parliamentary system. Canada’s political structure is based on Britain’s parliamentary system, where the PM is not elected directly by the public, but by the party with a majority in Parliament.
To become Prime Minister in Canada, it is mandatory for a person to be a member of the lower house of Parliament, called the House of Commons, i.e. a Member of Parliament (MP). There are a total of 338 seats in the House of Commons and various political parties field their candidates on these seats.
Every political party in Canada has a leader. Whichever party wins the most seats in the elections (in most cases 170 or more), the leader of that party is automatically eligible to become Prime Minister. The tenure of the Prime Minister in Canada is not fixed, but federal elections are usually held after 4 years. The Prime Minister remains in office as long as he maintains a majority in Parliament. If the Prime Minister’s government loses majority in Parliament, either he or she has to resign or the Governor General dissolves Parliament and new elections are held.
-
-
-
-
