Why the Trudeau era has come to an end

For months now, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been asked variations of the same question: “Will you resign?”

But while he vowed to stay on as leader of the Liberal Party – despite deepening voter disenchantment and the rise of a political rival at the polls – even the self-proclaimed “fighter” could not resist a growing chorus of members of his own party calling him out : to resign.

“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it’s become clear to me that if I have to fight internal battles, I can’t be the best option in this election,” Trudeau acknowledged Monday in announcing his resignation. in front of Rideau Cottage, his official residence for most of the past decade.

He will remain as prime minister until a new Liberal Party leader is elected, a date the party has yet to set.

Trudeau came to power almost a decade ago, heralded as the fresh face of progressive politics.

In 2015, swayed by his youthful charisma and hopeful political message, voters catapulted the Liberals from the third-placed party to a majority of seats in parliament, an unprecedented event in Canadian political history.

He now remains the only remaining leader among his peers when he took office, from Barack Obama to Angela Merkel, Shinzo Abe and David Cameron, and at 53 is the longest-serving G7 leader.

But in the years since his arrival on the world stage and two general elections since, Trudeau and his brand have become a drag on the party’s fortunes.

Paul Wells, a Canadian political journalist and author of Justin Trudeau on the Ropes, recently told the BBC that he believes Trudeau will be remembered “as a consistent” prime minister, especially for real leadership on issues such as reconciliation indigenous people and, to some extent, , climate policy.

But he is also one of those “who felt increasingly out of touch with public opinion and increasingly unable to adapt to changing times.”

On Monday, Trudeau was quick to tout the things he was most proud of in office, including overcoming the raging Covid pandemic, renegotiating a free trade agreement with the last Trump administration and introducing child benefits widely seen as helping to reduce poverty.

But a series of ethics scandals early on began to tarnish the new government — it was found to have violated federal conflict-of-interest rules during a corruption investigation — the SNC-Lavalin case – and for luxury trips to the Bahamas.

In 2020, he faced scrutiny for choosing a charity linked to his family to run a major government program.

His party was in the minority in the 2019 general election, meaning the Liberals had to rely on the support of other parties to stay in power.

Early elections in 2021 did not improve their situation.

More recently, Trudeau has faced headwinds from rising costs of living and inflation that have fueled election unrest around the world.

There was also disappointment in the country over what was seen as a struggle to deliver on big promises – an agenda that was “overwhelmed, overwhelmed”, Mr Wells said – and its handling of files such as immigration.

Late last year, the Liberals abandoned ambitious immigration targets amid concerns that the problem had been mismanaged, significantly reducing the number of newcomers allowed into Canada.

He also sometimes gave his opponents easy political victories, including when it was revealed that he wore black and brown face before taking office.

And after more than nine years in power, he is one of Canada’s longest-serving prime ministers, and there is a general sense of weariness and disillusionment with his government.

So the writing was on the wall.

A series of political coups indicated that Trudeau’s days were numbered.

Over the summer, voters rejected Liberal candidates in several by-elections in once-safe Liberal seats, sparking intra-party unrest.

He has become an increasingly polarizing figure for the electorate, with Trudeau saying on Monday that “it’s time for a reset” and to “turn the temperature down” in Canadian politics.

Opinion polls have also seen new results, and attempts to change course with cabinet reshuffles and tax breaks have failed.

A holiday poll by the Angus Reid Institute showed the lowest level of support for the party in their tracking since 2014.

Polls show that the Conservatives – led by Pierre Poillevre, a 45-year-old career politician with a talent for sharp campaign catchphrases – would easily win the election if it were held today.

The political instability comes as the country faces a number of challenges – not least the promise by US President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20, to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods.

Still, right up until the very end, Trudeau seemed determined to hang on, citing his desire to go up against Poilieu – his ideological opposite – in the polls.

But the last straw was the shock resignation of Trudeau’s key deputy, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, in mid-December — where she cited his perceived inability to take Trump’s threats seriously.

Members of his own party have begun to make it clear publicly that they no longer support his leadership.

And with that, the last domino fell.