Canadian PM Justin Trudeau announces he won't contest 2025 election, considers quitting politics

synopsis

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing criticism from multiple fronts, has announced that he will not run in the next general election and may even retire from politics. This marks an unexpected conclusion to the career of a leader who was once hailed as a dynamic, youthful figure a decade ago.

“In terms of my own decisions, I will not be running in the upcoming election,” Trudeau was quoted by Global News of Canada as saying on Wednesday.

“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.”

These comments follow just over a week after Trudeau revealed he would step down as both the leader of his party and as prime minister, with the Liberal Party confirming that the leadership election will occur on March 9.

Trudeau also held meetings with Canada's premiers, the country's ambassador to the U.S., and several federal cabinet ministers to strategize Canada's response to the tariff threats posed by Trump.

“I do want to say that (Saskatchewan Premier) Scott (Moe) and (Ontario Premier) Doug (Ford), and a number of the folks who’ve been around a while have been extraordinarily invaluable in these conversations, in this Team Canada approach,” said Trudeau.

“There’s always a lot of politics going on around this country, but to know when to step up in the Canadian national interest, and to know that that’s what Canadians want to see, is really to the credit of everyone around this table,” he added.

Trudeau recently declared that he would resign as Canada's Prime Minister once the Liberal Party of Canada selects a new leader. The chosen leader will assume the role of Prime Minister until the general elections, which are expected to take place in August.

Although Trudeau will step down as Prime Minister, he plans to remain a Member of Parliament for several months until the elections are held. After announcing that he will not run in the upcoming election, Trudeau will no longer serve as an MP in the new Parliament.