The circle around Canada’s Liberal Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is narrowing. In addition to the Liberal Party, the majority of the parliamentary group is now in favor of Trudeau’s resignation.
It is reported that Trudeau, who is currently on a winter holiday, is considering whether to stay or step down.
Trudeau is far behind in the polls and faces internal party challenges regarding his ability to unite Canadians.
Canadians will go to the polls in 2025, and federal elections could be held as early as the end of January if Trudeau’s opponents topple his minority government when Parliament reconvenes.
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau no longer has the support of his caucus and should immediately tender his resignation to save face,” Calgary MP George Chahal stated in a letter to the caucus on December 27.
The letter follows a recent virtual meeting in which 51 Liberal MPs from Ontario discussed Trudeau’s leadership. After the meeting, the party’s largest parliamentary caucus urged the prime minister to resign.
“We have reached a breaking point. There is a critical mass that has now been reached and has not existed before,” a Liberal MP who attended the meeting told POLITICO.
Trudeau has faced calls to resign for a year from the party he has led since 2013. The demands intensified after former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s abrupt exit earlier this month.
Freeland, a long-time ally of Trudeau, resigned as deputy prime minister and finance minister, citing tensions over how to handle Trump’s tariff threat and the domestic holiday tax cut.
The Atlantic caucus, which the Canadian prime minister considered vital to his hopes of winning a fourth term, has also abandoned the Liberal leader.
The Atlantic Liberals now say it would be in the prime minister’s best interest to resign. MPs no longer believe that Trudeau can defeat Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who has capitalized on the housing and affordability crisis with simple slogans promising change and has gained significant support among Canadians.
They also warn that Canada could face destabilization if Trump follows through on his Day One promise to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods.
