Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation after months of sinking popularity saw growing calls for him to step down as the leader of Canada. 

Speculation about Trudeau’s future as Prime Minister ran rampant in the media after his closest political ally Christia Freeland resigned ahead of a key budget review in mid-December over policy disagreements, including how to deal with Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs according to Sky News. 

On January 6th, Trudeau called a press conference and announced his resignation from the prime ministership, which would take effect after his party could pick a new leader. 

“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its new leader,” the 53-year-old Trudeau told journalists outside of Rideau Hall in Ottawa according to a report from CNN. 

Trudeau will stay on as party leader and Prime Minister of Canada until a successor has been chosen by his party but only in a caretaker capacity according to CNN. 

“Parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority parliament in Canadian history,” Trudeau explained. He announced that parliament would be suspended until a new Liberal Party leader could be chosen by the party. 

Trudeau revealed that Canada’s parliament will be prorogued, which is a type of political suspension, until March 24th for the Liberal Party to choose a new leader, which means that Trudeau will remain as Canada’s caretaker Prime Minister until then. 

The process of choosing a new Liberal Party leader has already begun according to Trudeau, who said he asked the president of the Liberal Party to begin a “robust” and “nationwide” process to find a new leader for the party, CBC News reported. 

"This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it's become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election," Trudeau told reporters during his statement. 

Trudeau has helmed the Liberal Party of Canada since being elected leader in 2013 and he clawed the party back to relevance, winning a majority government in 2015. He has retained leadership of the government ever since. 

However, years of sinking poll numbers have been plaguing the Prime Minister and his party. Recent poll findings from Ipsos published on December 20th showed that 73% of Canadians thought Trudeau should resign as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister. 

Because parliament has been suspended for the Liberal Party to choose a new leader, no opposition party can call a vote of non-confidence and force an election, nor can any parliamentary business continue until parliament is back in session, Global News noted.