Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'expected to resign within days' as popularity plummets
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Justin Trudeau could resign within days as his popularity continues to plummet, according to Canadian media reports. The Prime Minister of Canada is said to be considering stepping down as leader of the governing Liberal Party as soon as Monday. It would bring an end to his nine year tenure as prime minister.
Canada's Globe and Mail reports that he intends to quit before his party's national caucus meeting on Wednesday, to avoid the perception that his own MPs forced him out. Sources told the newspaper it was unclear whether Mr Trudeau would leave immediately or stay on until a new leader was selected. They stressed he has yet to make a final decision on his future.
The Toronto Star said it had also confirmed that Mr Trudeau was “expected to signal his intentions to step aside as early as Monday”, citing a senior source. At the end of October, almost two dozen backbench Liberal MPs signed a letter calling on their leader to step down, with the party fearing a seismic defeat in elections later this year.
The Canadian premier then came under increased pressure when his finance minister quit in December after they clashed over how to deal with Donald Trump's threat to levy US tariffs on Canadian goods. Poor opinion poll ratings suggest his party is on course for a general election defeat. The vote must take place before October, but a change in Liberal Party leadership is likely to increase calls for a snap poll in the coming months.
