Trudeau to step down after a decade as Canadian PM

The under-pressure leader propelled the Liberals to power in 2015, promising sunny ways’ and a progressive agenda

- RACHEL CLUN RHIAN LUBIN

Justin Trudeau will step down as prime minister of Canada, after weeks of mounting pressure from within his ruling Liberal Party about how to deal with incoming US president Donald Trump and trade tariffs he has promised.

Speaking outside his residence at Rideau Cottage, Ottawa, yesterday, Mr Trudeau said he had taken time over the holidays to “reflect” with his family.

“Throughout the course of my career, any success I have personally achieved has been because of their support and with their encouragement,” he said. “So last night over dinner, I told my kids about the decision that I’m sharing with you today. I intend to resign as party leader as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide, competitive process.”

He cited “internal battles” within the Liberal Party that meant he “cannot be the best option” in the next election.

Mr Trudeau's departure comes as polls show the Liberals could badly lose to the opposition Conservative Party in an election that must be held by late October.

The 53-year-old had been able to fend off Liberal legislators worried about the polls and the loss of safe seats in two special elections, but his government was thrown into chaos last month after his deputy prime minister and minister of finance, Chrystia Freeland, abruptly resigned from the cabinet, just hours before she was set to deliver the country’s first economic update since the US election.