Canada's governing Liberal Party will announce the country's next prime minister on March 9 after a leadership vote that follows the resignation of Justin Trudeau this week, party leaders said late Thursday.
Trudeau remains prime minister until a new leader is chosen.
The frontrunners 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.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, meanwhile, has decided to not enter the race. Joly said that while she’s ready to become the first female leader of the Liberal party, she’s not willing to leave her cabinet posting at a “crucial time” for Canada-US relations.
“The reality is, I can’t do both,” she told reporters on Parliament Hill on Friday.
Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc dashed the hopes of many of his fellow lawmakers Wednesday by becoming the first Cabinet minister to rule out a leadership bid.
Trudeau to remain as Canadian PM till March 9
The Liberal Party’s National Board of Directors announced the rules of the race late Thursday.
“After a robust and secure nation-wide process, the Liberal Party of Canada will choose a new leader on March 9, and be ready to fight and win the 2025 election,” party president Sachit Mehra said in a statement.
The political upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Canada. US President-elect Donald Trump keeps calling Canada the 51st state and has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods.
The next Liberal leader could be the shortest-tenured prime minister in the country's history. All three opposition parties have vowed to bring down the Liberals' minority government in a no-confidence vote after parliament resumes on March 24.
Recent polls suggest the Liberals’ chances of winning the next election look slim. In the latest poll by Nanos, the Liberals trail the opposition Conservatives 45% to 23%.
Trudeau announced his resignation Monday after facing an increasing loss of support both within his party and in the country.
The 53-year-old scion of Pierre Trudeau, one of Canada’s most famous prime ministers, became deeply unpopular with voters over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing as well as surging immigration.
Trudeau told Freeland last month he no longer wanted her to serve as finance minister, but that she could remain deputy prime minister and the point person for US-Canada relations.
Freeland resigned shortly after and released a scathing letter about the government that proved to be the last straw for the embattled leader. She has been talking to her colleagues this week to discuss next steps.
After she resigned, Trump called Freeland “totally toxic” and “not at all conducive to making deals.” Freeland was Canada's point person when the US, Canada and Mexico redid its free trade deal during the first Trump administration.
Freeland is a combination of many things that seem to irritate Trump: a liberal, a Canadian, and a former journalist. Freeland, who is of Ukrainian heritage, has also been a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia
Carney is a highly educated economist with Wall Street experience who is widely credited with helping Canada dodge the worst of the 2008 crisis and helping the UK manage Brexit.
In 2012, he was named the first foreigner to serve as governor of the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694. His appointment won bipartisan praise in Britain after he served as the head of Canada's central bank and after Canada recovered faster than many other countries from the 2008 financial crisis.
He has long been interested in entering politics and becoming prime minister but lacks political experience. He said this week in a statement that he is encouraged by the support he has had, and that he will consider his decision with family over the next few days.
The Liberal party said the fee to join the leadership race will be $350,000 Canadian ($243,000) and candidates must declare by Jan. 23. The party said voters for the party leadership must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.