(NewsNation) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he will resign as Liberal Party Leader and prime minister of Canada once the party selects a new leader.
The prime minister also announced he had prorogued the current session of Parliament, which has been paralyzed, until March 24.
He had served as the party’s leader since 2013, having taken the reins when the Liberals were suffering difficulties in the House of Commons.
The prime minister said he discussed his decision with his family last night. In a news conference, he said that it had become clear to him that he can’t be the best option for Canada while fighting internal battles within the party.
He also said a regret of his time in leadership was his failure to introduce electoral reform, specifically failing to allow Canadians to pick their second and third choices in elections, which he said would reduce political division.
Trudeau’s resignation came ahead of a key national caucus meeting set to be held on Wednesday. His departure leaves the party without a permanent leader as polls show it is likely to lose badly to Conservatives in an election set for Late November.
Facing inflation, a housing crisis and high food prices, voters have turned on the Liberal Party. In October, several members of Parliament called on Trudeau to resign.
Trudeau’s deputy stepped aside in December with harsh words that raised questions about the prime minister’s ability to handle the upcoming U.S. administration.
Trudeau’s decision to step aside is likely to incite calls for a quick election, as the country works to put a government in place to deal with demands from President-elect Donald Trump, who has already threatened tariffs on Canadian imports and has suggested the U.S. could annex Canada.
