Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is increasingly likely to step down, according to a source familiar with his thinking. The source spoke to Reuters on Sunday, after the Globe and Mail reported that Trudeau was expected to announce his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party as early as Monday.
Trudeau’s departure would leave the party without a permanent head at a time when polls show the Liberals will badly lose to the official opposition Conservatives in an upcoming election. The election must be held by late October.
An increasing number of Liberal parliamentarians have publicly urged Trudeau to quit, citing gloomy polls. The prime minister’s office has not yet commented on the reports.
Trudeau’s decision to step down is also expected to prompt calls for a quick election to install a stable government that can deal with the administration of President-elect Donald Trump in the coming years.
Trudeau, 53, took over as Liberal leader in 2013 and has been able to fend off calls for him to step down until now. However, the recent months have seen a surge in calls for him to quit, following a botched immigration policy and the resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland after she criticized Trudeau’s approach to spending.
Trudeau’s departure would leave the party without a permanent head at a time when the government is still grappling with the effects of the pandemic. The government has spent heavily to protect consumers and businesses, but this has done little to alleviate public anger as prices have continued to soar.
It is unclear whether Trudeau will leave immediately or stay on as prime minister until a new Liberal leader is selected. A number of sources have said that Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc may be willing to step in as interim leader and prime minister, but this would be unworkable if LeBlanc plans to run for the leadership.