In response to lawmakers concerned by his Liberal Party’s dismal pre-election polling results, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that he would resign within the next few months after nine years in office. According to Trudeau, he will continue to serve as both prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party until the party elects a new leader in time for the upcoming election, which is scheduled for late October of this year. Here’s what could occur next:
Will Trudeau depart right away?
No, Trudeau will continue to lead the ruling Liberal Party and serve as prime minister. In Canada, party leaders are chosen by special leadership conventions that can take months to plan, in contrast to other nations like Australia where they are elected by lawmakers and can be dismissed at any time.
What time will the election take place?
No, Trudeau declared that parliament would be prorogued, or suspended, until March 24 instead of starting up again on January 27. Since the administration controls the agenda for the majority of each session, opposition parties that had initially intended to introduce non-confidence resolutions to overthrow his minority government as soon as possible after January 27 would now have to wait until sometime in May. The Liberals will lose, and a fresh election will be held if all parties approve the opposition parties’ motion.
When parliament reconvenes, the government must formally present its plans for the upcoming session in the so-called Speech from the Throne. This does not have to be put to a vote of no confidence by the Liberals.
As planned, an election would take place at the end of October if the Liberals are still in power when Parliament begins its summer holiday on June 20.
In what other way may the liberals be overthrown?
The elected House of Commons was supposed to vote on expenditure bills in late March under the original legislative calendar. A vote of confidence would be triggered by this. It’s unclear if that vote would still take place in late March and, if it does, whether Trudeau or a different party leader would lead the opposition parties in voting to overthrow the Liberals. Both the left-leaning, tiny New Democratic Party and the Conservatives, who are expected to win the next election, have stated their intention to unseat Trudeau through a formal motion of no-confidence that they have submitted.
The Liberals might potentially lose because of their yearly budget, which is expected to be announced in April. The government can choose when to hold the first vote on the legislation implementing the budget, but it would be a matter of confidence.
For what length of time must the party select a new leader?
The worst-case scenario for the Liberals is that Trudeau remains in power after the party takes so long to select a new leader that it must run in the next election. In order to guarantee that Trudeau’s successor takes office as quickly as possible, it is probable to declare a condensed contest.
It took Trudeau five months to win the Liberal leadership in April 2013. It lasted nearly eight months in 2006. Trudeau requested that the party begin the process of selecting a new leader. To start the process, Liberal President Sachit Mehra announced he will convene the party’s national board this week. He didn’t elaborate.
