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Justin Trudeau called a news conference Monday morning as speculation mounted that he would resign as Canada's prime minister after nearly a decade in power.
Trudeau's popularity has reached a historic low after voters and members of his own party turned against him following a turbulent period of speculation about his ability to govern the G7 nation.
Canadian media, including the national broadcaster CBC, reported that he was about to step down. His resignation could trigger a leadership race in his Liberal Party ahead of a general election that must be held before October this year but could come much earlier.
The New Democratic Party – a vital ally in parliament – announced before Christmas that it would no longer support the minority Liberal government.
Opposition parties, including the NDP, have also said they are prepared to pass a motion of no confidence in the House of Commons, which could also trigger a snap election.
Pierre Poilievre, whose conservative party leads the liberals by 25 points in opinion polls, has repeatedly called for… Trudeau to step down or call early elections, citing looming challenges in Canada with incoming US President Donald Trump.
Trump repeatedly mocked Trudeau, calling him the 51st governor of the United States, sparking calls for the prime minister to step down.
Trudeau was born in Ottawa, the son of charismatic Liberal leader Pierre Trudeau, who was prime minister from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984, and worked as a school drama teacher in Vancouver before being elected leader of the Liberal Party in April 2013.
His tenure as Prime Minister began in October 2015 when the young newcomer led his Liberal Party to a resounding victory over the Conservatives and their unpopular leader Stephen Harper.
During his time in office, Trudeau passed laws to decriminalize soft drugs, promote gender equality and promote reconciliation with First Nations as well as the urgent need to address climate change. He also pledged to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees fleeing war in their homeland, despite concerns about immigration levels.
But Trudeau's popularity has collapsed over the past year due to rising costs of living and a housing affordability crisis. His efforts to boost Canada's post-pandemic economy through record immigration have also faced widespread backlash.
Angus Reid reconnaissance The Dec. 30 post showed the proportion of voters intending to vote for the Liberal Party had fallen to 16 per cent, its worst level since Trudeau came to power, while the prime minister's disapproval rate, by polls, “Trudeau's pathr”, reaching an all-time high of 74 percent.
The surprise Dec. 16 resignation of Chrystia Freeland, a former finance minister who was once a close ally of the prime minister, after disagreements with Trudeau over government spending, sparked renewed calls for him to resign from the opposition and his party.
In the wake of Freeland's move, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said on December 20 that his party was considering withdrawing its support from Trudeau or the Liberal Party. Singh pledged that his party's voting bloc would consider bringing down the government when Parliament resumes its work at the end of January, which would likely lead to early elections.
