The time period “political rock star” has not been utilized to many Canadian leaders, however when Justin Trudeau stormed into workplace in a 2015 landslide election, it appeared to suit.
Now, greater than 9 years after he initially wooed voters with a progressive agenda, Trudeau is leaving workplace, pressured out by former Liberal get together allies whereas being mocked by incoming US president Donald Trump.
“Trudeaumania” was first used to explain response to Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who grew to become a worldwide celeb when he led Canada via within the late Nineteen Sixties and 70s, courting Barbara Streisand and creating a friendship with Fidel Castro.
The phrase resurged when Justin Trudeau — who had beforehand been a snowboard teacher, bartender, bouncer and trainer — rose to the highest of Canadian politics.
“Why cannot he be our president?” Rolling Stone journal requested on a 2017 cowl, six months into Trump’s first time period.
Trudeau’s positions appeared properly pitched to left-of-center voters in Canada and past.
He promised motion on local weather change and a defence of Indigenous and refugee rights.
When requested why he prioritized gender parity in his first cupboard, Trudeau famously replied, “as a result of it is 2015.”
When he travelled overseas, younger folks lined up for selfies.
“Canada is again!” he declared after ousting an entrenched Conservative prime minister, the unquestionably much less glamourous Stephen Harper, in 2015.
Support fades
Within Canada the honeymoon was short-lived.
There had been steps that happy supporters, like a public inquiry into lacking and murdered Indigenous ladies, laws allowing medically assisted suicide, and the legalization of hashish.
But on core points like local weather change and reconciliation with Indigenous communities, Trudeau “has not been the reformer that many had hoped for,” mentioned Maxwell Cameron, a political science professor on the University of British Columbia.
Trudeau was narrowly re-elected to steer minority governments in 2019 and 2021.
“He most likely stayed in energy for a 12 months too lengthy,” mentioned Genevieve Tellier, a political science professor on the University of Ottawa.
She added that the frustration engulfing Trudeau was so acute as a result of he “promised a lot.”
Trump menace
Trudeau, 53, has three youngsters and introduced his separation from his spouse Sophie Gregoire in 2023.
On Monday, he credited his household for his profitable profession in politics, which started when he was elected to parliament representing a working class Montreal neighborhood in 2008.
As Liberal get together critics got here ahead this 12 months, Trudeau initially resisted calls to go.
Opinion polls present the Liberals trailing the Conservatives, however Trudeau voiced confidence that after an election marketing campaign obtained underway Canadians would bitter on Tory chief Pierre Poilievre.
But in December he suffered a blow that appeared conclusive.
His long-time ally, finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland resigned, issuing a scathing letter that accused Trudeau of putting his political objectives above the general public good.
She charged that as an alternative of making ready Canada’s funds to face up to the possibly crushing influence of 25 % import tariffs threatened by Trump, Trudeau was targeted on pricey vote-buying gimmicks, like a Christmas tax vacation.
While threatening tariffs, Trump has known as Trudeau the “governor” of what he described because the US state of Canada, and mused about annexing the huge nation.
Freeland’s resignation appeared to interrupt a dam of Liberal get together dissent.
On Monday Trudeau mentioned he would resign as prime minister as quickly as a brand new Liberal chief is chosen, a course of that might take months.
For Stephanie Chouinard, a political science professor at Queen’s University, the Trudeau period shouldn’t be dismissed as a failure.
She highlighted his social applications, which included a nationwide plan to make early childhood care cheaper.
“It was a progressive authorities in contrast to something we’ve got seen for the reason that 70s,” she mentioned.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)