Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday he intends to resign from his post but will stay until a new leader of the country’s Liberal Party is in place, effectively ending nine years of power.
Trudeau’s departure comes amid mounting pressure for him to step aside before an upcoming election that his Liberal Party is forecasted to lose badly. The leader also has a complicated, oft-adversarial relationship with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to be sworn in later this month.
“Every morning I’ve woken up as prime minister, I’ve been inspired by the resilience, generosity and the determination of Canadians,” Trudeau said in a news conference. “It is the driving force of every single day I have the privilege of serving this office.”
