Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Announces He Will Not Contest the October National Elections

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Announces He Will Not Contest the October National Elections

Ottawa, January 16, 2025: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday, January 15, that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming federal elections scheduled for October, although they may be held earlier.

In a press conference, Trudeau stated, "In terms of my own decisions, I will not be running in the upcoming election." This announcement came after a meeting with Canada's provincial premiers, where they discussed coordinating strategies with the incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Trudeau, who turned 53 on December 25, expressed uncertainty about his future after leaving politics. He said, "As to what I might be doing later, I honestly haven’t had much time to think about that at all. I am entirely focused on doing the job that Canadians elected me to do in an extraordinarily pivotal time right now."

First elected to the House of Commons in 2008 from the Quebec riding of Papineau, Trudeau has served as Prime Minister since October 2015. His Liberal Party won a majority mandate in his first election, but was unable to replicate that success in the 2019 and 2021 elections, resulting in minority governments.

The Liberal Party leadership election, set to conclude on March 9, will determine Trudeau's successor as party leader and prime minister. The deadline for candidates to enter the race is January 23, with former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney and former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland expected to be leading contenders.

Carney is anticipated to announce his candidacy on Thursday in Edmonton, while Freeland may make her decision public by January 20.

Other prominent Cabinet members, such as Mélanie Joly, Dominic LeBlanc, François-Philippe Champagne, and Anita Anand, have announced that they will not run, citing their current roles.

Trudeau’s announcement follows months of internal party unrest and a significant decline in public support for the Liberals, who are currently polling at just 20%, trailing the opposition Conservatives by nearly 25 points.

The situation worsened in December with the resignation of Freeland, who also served as finance minister, leading to calls for Trudeau's resignation from nearly 100 Liberal MPs.

Trudeau will remain prime minister until the Liberal leadership election concludes in March and plans to serve as a member of Parliament until the next federal elections are held.