Trudeau’s plummeting popularitypublished at 14:45 Greenwich Mean Time
Nadine Yousif
Reporting from Toronto
Image source, ReutersJustin Trudeau’s apparent decision to step down – which is yet to be confirmed – marks an end to weeks of speculation on his political future, as his popularity among his peers and the public has plummeted.
Trudeau, who has been prime minister for nine years, had been under pressure from members of his own party to resign since the summer, after the Liberals suffered a historic defeat in a Toronto by-election to their Conservative rivals.
He has also been lagging in the polls. As of December, only 22% of Canadians said they approved of his leadership, external – the lowest since he has taken power in 2015.
Meanwhile, Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has been polling nearly 24 points ahead of Trudeau, signalling the possibility of a major defeat for the Liberals in the next Canadian election.
While Canada has a multi-party system, only the Conservatives and the Liberals have managed to historically form government.
Trudeau has previously indicated his intention to run as Liberal leader into Canada’s next election, which must be held on or before 20 October.
But after the resignation of his top cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland in December, due to a rift between her and Trudeau, pressure has grown on the prime minister from within his own party to step down.
“He’s delusional if he thinks we can continue like this,” New Brunswick MP Wayne Long told reporters before the Christmas break.