Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party said late on Thursday it will choose a new leader on March 9 ahead of the 2025 elections for which polls show the party in a very weak position.

In addition, voting will be restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. In the 2013 race, which saw Justin Trudeau elected party leader, even temporary residents were allowed to vote

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'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 development comes a month after Canada's deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, resigned suddenly from Trudeau's cabinet.

The Prime Minister of Canada is said to be considering stepping down as leader of the governing Liberal Party after losing support

Justin Trudeau announced that he intends to resign as Canadian prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party. Trudeau has been the country's leader for nearly a decade, but his support has declined in recent months.

With Parliament prorogued, the Liberals will begin the process of finding a new leader as support for Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives grows

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

Trudeau is to step down as Liberal leader amid growing disapproval in his party and tariff threats from Donald Trump — paving the way for a new prime minister.