Justin Trudeau announced his resignation today but will remain the Liberal leader and Prime Minister until the party selects a new leader. Following the announcement, a list of potential successors to lead the Liberal Party and become Canada’s next Prime Minister has emerged.
Chrystia Freeland
Former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has long been considered a possible successor to Trudeau. A Toronto MP originally from Alberta, Freeland had a career in journalism before entering politics. She served as Canada’s first female Finance Minister before her unexpected resignation in December, following a disagreement with Trudeau over spending and the handling of threats related to tariffs from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mark Carney
Former banker Mark Carney, who previously served as the Governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, is a prominent liberal figure. He has recently worked as a special adviser to Trudeau and has been rumored to have had designs on party leadership for some time.
Mélanie Joly
Mélanie Joly, Canada’s Foreign Minister, is a Quebec politician who, like Trudeau, represents the Montreal area. Educated as a lawyer at Oxford, Joly is a well-known figure who has represented Canada on the global stage since 2021.
Dominic LeBlanc
Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs, has been a long-time friend and one of Trudeau’s closest allies. Known for taking on difficult portfolios, LeBlanc has been a parliamentarian for more than two decades and previously showed ambition to lead the Liberal Party, having run a leadership campaign in 2008 but losing to Michael Ignatieff.
Christy Clark
Christy Clark, former Premier of British Columbia, had stepped away from federal politics but has recently expressed interest in throwing her hat in the ring for the Liberal leadership role.
