Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces a deepening political crisis as a third of Liberal Party MPs call for his resignation. According to a CBC News report, 51 out of the 153 Liberal MPs have expressed their desire for Trudeau to step down, intensifying the internal unrest within the ruling party.
The revolt comes in the wake of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s resignation last week, which has destabilized Trudeau’s already shaky leadership. Freeland’s unexpected departure follows a period of mounting challenges for Trudeau, beginning with the withdrawal of support from Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party (NDP) in September. This move left Trudeau leading a minority government, 16 seats short of the majority threshold of 169.
Reports indicate that 51 Liberal MPs from Ontario, the largest province in Canada, joined a virtual meeting over the weekend and agreed that Trudeau must resign. Ontario is a critical political battleground, holding 121 of the 337 seats in the Canadian Parliament. Of these, the Liberals currently control 75 seats. The Ontario caucus chair, Michael Coteau, has been tasked with relaying the MPs’ concerns to Trudeau and his office.
While no deadline for Trudeau’s resignation has been set, the MPs appear to be rallying around Freeland as a potential successor. MPs Sean Casey and Chandra Arya have publicly endorsed Freeland as the next Liberal Party leader and a credible prime ministerial candidate. Arya, in a letter to Trudeau, praised Freeland’s political acumen, describing her as a “credible and stable alternative” to his leadership.
Trudeau, who has been Canada’s prime minister since 2015, faces plummeting popularity. Recent Ipsos polls reveal a 25% lead for Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Party’s prime ministerial candidate, over Trudeau. This widening gap underscores the urgency of addressing the discontent within his party.
The crisis has sparked speculation about Trudeau’s next moves. Reports suggest he may consider resigning, proroguing Parliament, or calling snap elections to preempt a possible ouster by his own MPs. Canada’s next parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 2025, but early elections could shift the political narrative and mitigate further damage to Trudeau’s leadership.
As the Liberal Party grapples with internal strife, Trudeau’s future remains uncertain. The political turbulence underscores the fragile state of his government and raises questions about the party’s strategy to maintain its hold on power in the face of growing opposition.
