OTTAWA—Justin Trudeau, the Liberal leader who governed as prime minister of Canada for nine years, is stepping down, triggering a leadership race to replace him in advance of a federal election that could come within weeks.
Trudeau’s decision to quit, driven out by his fellow caucus MPs after a brutal six months and a more than yearlong nosedive in public opinion polls, was taken after three weeks of what he called “reflection.”
Trudeau, 53, had long insisted publicly and privately up until three weeks ago that he would lead the party in the next election and defeat the Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre.
