BIG NEWS: Justin Trudeau resigns as Canada's Prime Minister

[dan_s]

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that he will resign after almost a decade in power, bowing to members of his party who have been calling on him to step aside ahead of an election later this year.

“It has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election,” said Trudeau in an announcement from the country’s capital, Ottawa.

Trudeau said he would stay on as prime minister until the party picks a new leader, a process that could take months. He also moved to suspend the current session of the legislature, to avoid facing a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

The Canadian leader would exit as one of the most unpopular political figures in the country, leaving his party in a weakened position and his country facing an uncertain economic future, as Donald Trump takes power in the U.S. The president-elect is promising, among other measures, to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian imports.

Trudeau is the latest standard-bearer for progressive politics to suffer from a voter backlash, amid economic retreat, discontent with aggressive climate policies and a growing resistance to immigration.