Canada PM says he will resign as Liberal party leader after losing support following growing leadership crisis

Trudeau says a new prime minister and leader of the Liberals will carry the values and ideas of the party in the next elections. He says he is looking forward to that process.

Asked why he decided to make the announcement today, he says he is “not someone who backs down very easily in a fight” but that he has “always been driven by my love for Canada”.

Canadians deserve a real choice in the next election, and it has become obvious to me with the internal battles that I cannot be the one to carry the liberal standard into the next election.

I intend to resign as party leader as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide competitive process.

This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.