C anadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is stepping down as the leader of the ruling Liberal Party, following months of pressure from partymates to resign amid increasingly poor public approval ratings.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to resign after calls increased for his ouster over his handling of economic policies.

By suspending Parliament and promising to resign, the prime minister bought the Liberals time. But Canada will now face Donald J. Trump with a lame duck in charge.

Justin Trudeau, who has led the country for nearly a decade, is giving up leadership of the Liberal party. He said he would remain in both roles until his replacement had been chosen through a party election.

Justin Trudeau's leadership has faced significant challenges in the wake of the COVID crisis, leading to a loss of confidence among Canadians from various backgrounds.

This country deserves a real choice in the next election,” Mr Trudeau said. “It has become clear to me that if I am having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.” He joins a growing list of progressive leaders done in by their failure to address the anxieties of ordinary voters,

The term "political rock star" has not been applied to many Canadian leaders, but when Justin Trudeau stormed into office in a 2015 landslide election, it appeared to fit. The phrase resurged when Justin Trudeau -- who had previously been a snowboard instructor,

The front runners for the Liberal leadership are former central banker Mark Carney and ex-Finance Minster Chrystia Freeland, whose abrupt resignation last month forced Trudeau's exit.

Former B.C. premier Christy Clark — who is considering running for the federal Liberal leadership — is denying that she was previously a member of Conservative Party, despite past comments where she said otherwise.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will travel to Washington, D.C. next week to push the incoming Trump administration to back off on damaging tariffs. Joly says it’s her top priority – not running for the Liberal Party leadership.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took his walk in the snow, announcing he will retire after the Liberal party conducts a nationwide search for his replacement. Who are the candidates likely to be? Join us for The Contenders,