Canada’s Liberal Party will announce Justin Trudeau’s successor as prime minister on Sunday amid a trade war with the U.S. Front-runner Mark Carney faces Chrystia Freeland in the race, with key economic and political challenges ahead, including a possible early election.
Canada's Liberal Party will on Sunday announce Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's successor as both party chief and head of the country's government in the midst of a trade war with the United States that could cripple the Canadian economy.
The next prime minister will have to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump as he threatens additional tariffs on Canada and may soon face the opposition Conservatives in a general election.
Trudeau announced in January he would step down after more than nine years in power as his approval rating plummeted, forcing the ruling Liberal Party to run a quick contest to replace him.
"Is it ideal in a circumstance of bilateral crisis for us? I suppose not," said Drew Fagan, a professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. "But on the other hand, the process is playing out domestically as it should."
Former central banker Mark Carney is the front-runner, with the most endorsements from party members and the most money raised among the four Liberal candidates.
Around two-thirds of Trudeau's cabinet publicly back Carney, and a Mainstreet poll in late February showed Carney with 43% support among Liberals compared to 31% for his main rival, former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Freeland has touted her experience negotiating with Trump during his first term but has struggled to differentiate herself from Trudeau after being one of his most loyal supporters for years.
She left his government in December after Trudeau tried to replace her, and she criticized his government's spending policies.
A victory for Carney, 59, would be the first time an outsider with no real political background has become Canadian prime minister.
Carney has said his experience as the first person to serve as the governor of two central banks - Canada and England - meant he was the best candidate to deal with Trump.
Some 400,000 Liberal members were eligible to cast their votes for party leader. The party is due to announce the first round of results at about 6:30 p.m. (2230 GMT).
During the campaign, Carney said he supported dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs against the United States and a coordinated strategy to boost investment. He has repeatedly complained that Canada's growth under Trudeau was not good enough.
The prospect of a fresh start for the Liberal Party under Carney, combined with Trump's tariffs and his repeated taunts to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, led to a remarkable revival of Liberal fortunes.
'RALLY AROUND THE FLAG MOMENT'
At the start of 2025 the party trailed by 20 or more points but is now statistically tied with the official opposition Conservatives in several polls.
"There is a rallying around the flag moment that we would never have predicted a year ago," said University of British Columbia politics professor Richard Johnston.
"I think it's probably true as we speak that the Liberals have been saved from oblivion."
Regardless of who wins, the next prime minister has important decisions to make right away. The minority Liberal government may face a confidence vote when Parliament reconvenes at the end of March, potentially triggering an election.
He or she may therefore decide to call an immediate election, avoiding the trouble of having to put together a cabinet. An election must be called no later than October 20.
Polls though indicate neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives would be able to form a majority government.
Carney could legally serve as prime minister without a seat in the House of Commons but tradition dictates he should seek to win one as soon as possible.
In 1984, John Turner was not a legislator when he became prime minister after winning a Liberal leadership race.
Canada warns the U.S. to reach a trade deal by 21 July or face new steel and aluminium tariffs, as PM Carney vows to protect Canadian workers from U.S. measures.
Canada has issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to avoid travel to parts of the Middle East, citing heightened tensions between Israel and Iran. The warning comes amid ongoing military exchanges that have raised fears of broader regional instability.
Ukraine called for more support during the G7 summit in Canada. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a direct appeal at the two-day gathering, while Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney announced fresh sanctions on Russia and a major new aid package for Kyiv.
South Korea’s new president Lee Jae-myung will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the G7 summit in Canada, marking his first major diplomatic engagement.
President Donald Trump is cutting short his G7 trip and returning to Washington DC as tensions soar between Iran and Israel. After urging civilians to evacuate Tehran and warning Iran against nuclear ambitions, Trump said he must be back "for obvious reasons" amid rising fears of regional war.
Germany’s federal government spent over 1.2 billion euros on software, licenses and IT services in 2024, more than 25% higher than the previous year.
UFC Fight Night in Baku is underway at Baku Crystal Hall, with the main card scheduled to begin at 11:00 PM.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg in Minsk on Saturday to discuss Belarus–U.S. ties and regional security.
Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov and China Eximbank Chairman Chen Huaiyu signed a $500 million loan agreement for the telecom sector on June 21.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has outlined an ambitious vision for human settlements in space by 2040, with autonomous “space oases” on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
UFC Fight Night in Baku is underway at Baku Crystal Hall, with the main card scheduled to begin at 11:00 PM.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg in Minsk on Saturday to discuss Belarus–U.S. ties and regional security.
Orkhan Nazarli, Head of Azerbaijan’s State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy, held separate meetings with senior tax officials from Latvia and Montenegro during the 29th General Assembly of the Intra-European Organization of Tax Administrations (IOTA) in Baku.
The OIC's 51st ministerial session convenes in Istanbul to tackle pressing global and regional issues.
Japan has reportedly cancelled a planned high-level security meeting with the United States after Washington pressed Tokyo to increase its defense spending, according to the Financial Times.
Germany’s federal government spent over 1.2 billion euros on software, licenses and IT services in 2024, more than 25% higher than the previous year.
UFC Fight Night in Baku is underway at Baku Crystal Hall, with the main card scheduled to begin at 11:00 PM.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg in Minsk on Saturday to discuss Belarus–U.S. ties and regional security.
Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov and China Eximbank Chairman Chen Huaiyu signed a $500 million loan agreement for the telecom sector on June 21.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has outlined an ambitious vision for human settlements in space by 2040, with autonomous “space oases” on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
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