The news came out of the blue on Monday afternoon: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation as head of the Liberal Party, which he has led since 2013 and, consequently, as Prime Minister. A move that marks the end of an era and leaves the country in chaos just as on January 2025, 7 he took over the rotating presidency of the GXNUMX from Italy.
Canada: What Happens Now?
Trudeau's resignation comes in the wake of a crisis in his minority government, triggered by the exit of the NDP party that supported him externally and by the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, in dissent over the response to Donald Trump's threat of tariffs. "If I have to fight internal battles within the party, I cannot be the best option for the next election," the three-time premier explained during a press conference in Ottawa.
Despite the resignation, Trudeau to remain in office until March and parliament will be suspended until March 24 to give the Liberals, Canada's main governing party, time to find a replacement who will become party leader and prime minister. In Canada, in fact, the prime minister is the leader of the party that has the most seats in parliament.
After the Liberals' choice, the new Prime Minister will have to appear in Parliament for a vote of confidence. If it passes, it will continue until October, the month in which the general elections are already scheduled. If not, it will go to early elections. The leaders of the main opposition parties (the Conservatives and the New Democratic Party) have already said they do not intend to vote confidence in a new Liberal government.
Canada: the guessing game has already started
Among the names of Trudeau's possible successors is precisely that of Chrystia Freeland, former vice president and former finance minister. Among the possible candidates are also the former governor of the Canadian and British central banks, Mark Carney, the current Finance Minister, Dominic LeBlanc and the current Foreign Minister, Melanie July,
Donald Trump: “Canada should become the 51st US state”
Then he adds fuel to the fire Donald Trump, with the promise to sign an executive order on his first day in office, January 20, imposing a 25% tariff on all products from Canada that arrive in the USA.
Furthermore, the president has repeatedly mocked him on social media, calling him “governor” and hinting at the possibility that his country could become the 51st American state. A proposal was also relaunched on Monday in Truth, arguing that "the US can no longer suffer the massive trade deficit and subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Trudeau knew it and resigned."
