Trudeau faces calls to resign within the party after the by-polls debacle.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing growing dissent within his ruling Liberal Party over leadership, after a bruising by-election loss.
Backbencher Wayne Long became the first MP to openly urge Trudeau to resign for the party’s future and Canada’s good.
Long said voters want change, putting the writing on the wall after Liberals lost a seat held since 1993 in Toronto.
Former party members including ex-Environment Minister Catherine McKenna have backed leadership transition, citing the need for new ideas.
Ex-premier Christy Clark echoed similar views that Trudeau lacked voter pull and motivation within the ranks.
The conservatives snatched victory in the by-poll by a thin margin, reflecting declining Trudeau popularity amid economic woes.
An opinion poll suggests 68% of Canadians want the Prime Minister to step aside now. However, Trudeau has vowed to remain in charge.
With elections two years away, internal dissent is a setback for Trudeau’s third-term ambitions. His challenge is addressing citizen angst and regaining lost influence.
As Trudeau faces unprecedented questions within his folds, uncertainty looms over his ongoing tenure.
