Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared his resignation as head of state and leader of the ruling Liberal Party following months of enduring a strong internal rift with demands for his departure. In his statement on Monday, Trudeau indicated that he would stay in his position until a successor is chosen.
According to Trudeau, the nation’s parliament will stay on hold until March 24, when a new leader of the Liberal Party is selected.
After his announcement, the party is now assigned the job of finding his successor, who will compete in the general elections set for later this year, with multiple polls indicating a probable defeat.
With only two months remaining until the March 24 deadline, here are some of the leading candidates who could be competing to replace Trudeau.
ANITA ANAND
Over the past five years, Transport Minister Anita Anand, of Indian descent, has managed various portfolios such as Public Services and Procurement, Defence, and she has served as President of the Treasury Board. The 57-year-old academic, who studied at Oxford, has a Tamil father and a Punjabi mother, and was promptly included in Trudeau’s Cabinet following her election as the MP for Oakville in 2019.
From November 2019 to October 2021, she served as Minister of Public Services and Procurement; afterward, she led the Defence Ministry from October 2021 to July 2023. As Defence Minister, Anand spearheaded Canada’s initiatives to support Ukraine during the conflict with Russia.
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MELANIE JOLLY
Before being appointed as Foreign Minister in 2021, Melanie Joly held three additional cabinet roles.
The 45-year-old lawyer, educated at Oxford, has made multiple visits to Ukraine as a demonstration of Canada’s backing. She additionally visited Jordan to supervise the evacuation of Canadian nationals in the wake of the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023.
According to a BBC report, Trudeau personally selected Joly to pursue a federal position in politics.
MARK CARNEY
Mark Carney, the previous Governor of the Bank of Canada, has acted as a special advisor to Trudeau in recent months.
Despite being a 59-year-old Harvard alum who has never served in public office, Carney possesses a robust economic background, having worked at both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.
He served as the UN special envoy for climate action and is recognized for supporting some Liberal policies that have faced opposition in conservative circles of the country, such as the federal carbon tax policy, which has drawn significant criticism.
CHRYSTIA FREELAND
Chrystia Freeland, recognized as a Trudeau advisor and among the most influential ministers in his Cabinet, declared her resignation from the position of Deputy Prime Minister in December 2024. Her declaration, which shocked the nation, arrived as Trudeau had shown interest in moving her to a different department.
The 56-year-old, who served as Finance Minister, condemned the beleaguered Prime Minister’s proposals for higher spending in her resignation letter, further intensifying the pressure on Trudeau to resign.
Having been a journalist prior to her political career, Freeland was elected to the House of Commons in 2013 and a couple of years later became a member of Trudeau’s cabinet focusing on trade after his party won power.
