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.

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.

Trudeau, who has been in power for the past nine years, said on Monday that he will step down from his post after a new leader is chosen by the Liberal Party.

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.

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.

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 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.

The prime minister of Canada will step-down in March as the country's leader and head of the Liberal Party, he announced Monday.

The Liberals need to elect a new leader before Parliament resumes March 24 because all three opposition parties say they will bring down the Liberal government in a no-confidence vote.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcd his resignation as Canada’s Liberal Party leader Monday, after nine years in the country’s top office. The reports from Canadian news outlets come as Trudeau and the Liberals trail Conservatives in polls heading into the next general election,

OTTAWA--Canada's Liberal Party said its members will pick a new leader to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 9, setting the stage for an eight-week campaign that's likely to be shortly followed by a general election.