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People in the News

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces his resignation

(AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation, telling the nation that “internal battles” mean he “cannot be the best option” in the next election.

Trudeau said Monday he has asked the president of his Liberal Party to begin the process to select a new leader. He has faced rising discontent over his leadership, and the abrupt departure of his finance minister late last year signaled growing turmoil within his government.

Parliament will be suspended until March 24. It had been due to resume Jan. 27. The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race.

Trudeau had been the second-youngest prime minister in Canada’s history when he was elected in 2015, and he had been planning to run for a fourth term in next year’s election even as discontent in his party grew. He said that “I have always been driven by my love for Canada” and repeatedly described himself as a fighter.

The opposition New Democratic Party had propped up Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party for years. Now NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has responded to Trudeau’s resignation announcement by saying that “it doesn’t matter who the next Liberal is. They’ve let you down. They do not deserve another chance.”

Singh says that “as soon as there is a confidence vote, we will be voting against the government.”

Meanwhile, the president of the Liberal Party says he will call a national board meeting this week to begin the “nationwide democratic process of selecting a new leader of the party.”

Chrystia Freeland, the finance minister who resigned last month and sent discussion about a resignation by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau into overdrive, has thanked him for his years of service and wished him well.

Freeland is a likely candidate for prime minister after being Trudeau’s most powerful minister.

Trudeau in his resignation comments called Freeland “an incredible political partner” and said he had hoped she would continue as his deputy prime minister.

Journalists asked what happened between them and he replied that “I not someone who is in the habit of sharing private conversations.”

Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has responded to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation announcement. In a taped message posted on X, Poilievre said that “Canadians desperate to turn the page on this dark chapter in our history might be relieved today that Justin Trudeau is finally leaving.”

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