Canada's Trudeau resigns as Liberal Party leader, prime minister

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he intended to step down but he would stay on in his post until the ruling Liberal Party has chosen a replacement for him.

Trudeau made his remarks in a live address on Monday.

"I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister," Trudeau, who has been in power since 2015, told reporters in Ottawa following a protracted political crisis that saw top Liberal allies urge him to quit.

Trudeau said he has asked the president of his Liberal Party to begin the process of selecting a new leader.

He has faced rising discontent over his leadership, and the abrupt departure of his finance minister late last year signalled growing turmoil within his government.

Shortly before he spoke, an official familiar with the matter said Parliament will be suspended until March 24.

It had been due to resume on January 27.

The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race.

Trudeau told the media that "internal battles" mean he “cannot be the best option" in the next election.

Political upheaval

Trudeau came to power in 2015 after 10 years of Conservative Party rule and had initially been praised for returning the country to its liberal past.

But the 53-year-old leader, the son of Pierre Trudeau, one of Canada’s most famous prime ministers, became deeply unpopular with voters in recent years over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing.

The political upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Canada internationally.

US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian goods if the government does not stem what Trump calls a flow of migrants and drugs in the US

That's even though far fewer of each cross into the US from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened.

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Source: TRT