What Happens Next In Canada After Justin Trudeau Resigns, Who Will Take Over As PM? Explained - News18

What Happens Next In Canada After Justin Trudeau Resigns, Who Will Take Over As PM? Explained - News18

Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader after months of pressure from the party. Though Trudeau said he would continue at the helm until the new Liberal leader is selected.

Trudeau, who took office in November 2015, is one of Canada’s longest serving prime ministers. Although he was initially praised for returning the country to its liberal past, his popularity went on a decline for the past couple of years due to rising inflation, a housing crisis, as well as a surge in immigration, among other issues.

Trudeau said he had taken the decision to step down in the “interests of Canadians and the well-being of democracy", according to The Associated Press.

So, what happens next in the party as federal election looms, who will emerge Trudeau’s successor?

Trudeau said on Monday Canada’s governor general had accepted his request to prorogue Parliament — a process of suspending all proceedings, including debates and bills that have not received the royal assent.

The Liberal Party will have to choose a new leader and prime minister by the end of the prorogation period, that is, March 24. Parliament could carry on as normal while the party will have to start a leadership race.

Parliament was most recently prorogued by Trudeau in August 2020, when his government was facing an ethics scandal over its handling of a contract with a charity.

Typically, leaders of Canada’s federal parties are chosen over four to five months, a process that includes a formal leadership convention.

Liberal Party president Sachit Mehra said the party would soon convene a meeting of its national board this week and select a new leader.

Although there is no clear successor of Trudeau, but some from the Liberal Party including former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, transport minister Anita Anand and formal central banker Mark Carney could be possible leaders.

Eddie Goldenberg, who was former prime minister Jean Chrétien’s chief of staff, told The Canadian Press, he also would like to see an accelerated leadership selection. But rather than holding a national race to choose the next leader — and prime minister, until the next election — Goldenberg said the next leader should be chosen by the caucus.

The Liberal Party’s internal divisions had reached a boiling point, with a third of its MPs urging Trudeau to step down. Jagmeet Singh, leader of New Democratic Party (NDP), which has been key to keep Trudeau’s minority party afloat, had also called for his resignation.

While Opposition leaders did not push for his resignation, they were adamant on holding an early election.

The Liberals, who lost the support of NDP in September, when Jagmeet Singh announced that his party was withdrawing from a 2022 agreement to prop up Trudeau’s minority government, will be more vulnerable if a no-confidence vote is triggered in the House of Commons. The result of that vote could force Trudeau to call an early election.

The federal election is expected to be held in October, but it is likely that a vote will be called before that.

With Trudeau gone and opinion polls in their favour, the Opposition Conservative Party will try hard to trigger an election by bringing a series of no-confidence votes in the House of Commons.

The government needs the backing of a majority of the 338 members of parliament in a no-confidence vote. The Liberals, which are short of 17 seats, would require support from members of Canada’s other parties.

So far, members of the left-leaning NDP have backed Trudeau with enough votes to maintain control. But on Monday, after Trudeau announced his resignation, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he would vote to bring down the Liberal Party as “they don’t deserve another chance".

After the prorogation ends on March 24, the first vote will be a confidence motion. If the government loses that confidence motion, it is expected to resign or seek the dissolution of parliament, triggering a general election.

Polls indicate a decisive win for the Conservative Party if the elections are held today.

Pierre Poilievre, 45, has led Canada’s Conservative Party since 2022 and is currently running for prime minister. His biography touts him as a “life-long conservative, champion of a free market".

In an interview, Poilievre vowed to pursue “the biggest crackdown on crime in Canadian history," slammed the Trudeau government as “radical," and denounced “wokeism."

Although Poilievre is open to working with Donald Trump, the Canadian politician vowed that Canada could never become America’s 51st state, despite Trump’s threat to use “economic force".

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Poilievre faced backlash in October 2024 for cancelling a Diwali celebration on Parliament Hill. The event, organised by the Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), was held annually for 23 years. The abrupt cancellation, without an explanation, disappointed many within the Indo-Canadian community. The move was seen by some as a reflection of Poilievre’s cautious approach to India-Canada relations during a time of heightened diplomatic tensions.

Poilievre was born and raised in Calgary and holds a degree in international relations from the University of Calgary.