Politics Trudeau successor: Mark Carney to lead Canada
Former central bank chief Mark Carney is to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and lead Canada through turbulent economic weeks and a likely general election. The 59-year-old economist won the election for leader of the Liberal Party very clearly with 85.9 percent of members' votes against, among others, former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. She came second with eight percent.
09.03.2025, 23:49
SDA
With the leadership of the party, the former head of the British and Canadian central banks also takes over the office of Prime Minister from Trudeau, at least for the time being. In a few weeks, there are likely to be new elections in the world's second-largest country, which is under heavy pressure due to US President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policy and threats of annexation.
"We have made this the best country in the world and now our neighbors want to take us over. No way!", Carney had said shortly before the results of this dispute were announced. Other candidates had also clearly positioned themselves against the USA in their final speeches. Justin Trudeau said: "We are a diplomatic country when we can, but when we have to, we fight - elbows up!"
Almost 152,000 of the approximately 400,000 members of the Liberal Party, which has governed Canada for more than 50 years since the Second World War, took part in the vote.
Bank manager with crisis experience
Carney had entered the race for the party presidency with a business-oriented, centrist agenda. In the trade war with the United States, he wants to continue Trudeau's course of resolute resistance. According to a survey by the broadcaster "CTV News", 40 percent of Canadians believe that Carney would be the best politician to negotiate with Trump - significantly more than the 26 percent approval rating for the Conservative leader and his main domestic opponent, Pierre Poilievre.
Carney is also seen as competent because he has plenty of experience in national and international crisis management: During the financial crisis, the dog lover who grew up in the province of Alberta in western Canada headed his home country's central bank from 2008. Carney is also credited with Canada's relatively good recovery in the following years. During Brexit, he was head of the UK's central bank and then UN Special Envoy for Climate Finance until January of this year.
The Liberal promises a fundamental reform of the economy with tax relief for the middle class and the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles as well as greater promotion of innovation and investment. Carney advocates closer cooperation with Europe and Asia in order to reduce trade dependency on the USA.
What happens next
The next step is for Prime Minister Trudeau and Carney to set a date for handing over the reins of government and formally resign. This is likely to happen in the coming days. The new prime minister may want to adjust the cabinet, although existing ministers could also remain in office in view of the new election expected soon. Parliament in Ottawa sits again on March 24. The opposition is planning a vote of no confidence for this day, which could trigger new elections in the coming months.
However, Carney could also declare his minority government a failure before this date and call new elections. Tactically, observers see this as a potentially clever and proactive move, as the Liberals have recently made significant gains in the polls.
For months, a transfer of power to the Conservatives under Poilievre had been considered highly likely. However, Trudeau's resignation announcement and the extraordinary threat posed by Trump significantly changed the mood in the country. In election polls, the Liberal Party experienced a strong upswing and has significantly narrowed the gap to the Conservatives.
The Trudeau era comes to an end
Carney's election also marks the end of the Trudeau era, who is stepping down after more than nine years as Prime Minister. Following a series of reforms and the modernization of Canada in recent years, Trudeau had become increasingly unpopular due to rising prices, a lack of housing and unfulfilled election promises, among other things.
Trudeau had been leader of the Liberal Party for around eleven years and Prime Minister since the end of 2015. He had initially promised "positive policies" and "sunny paths" and was celebrated by many as a beacon of hope.
With his wife Sophie Grégoire - from whom Trudeau is now separated - and their three children, the son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1919-2000) formed a "First Family" with a young and dynamic image - similar to US President John F. Kennedy when he took office in 1961.
The pressure on the prime minister has been increasing recently: his poll ratings have plummeted and calls for his resignation have become louder - especially after Deputy Prime Minister Freeland's loud resignation as finance minister, which further damaged Trudeau.
