Justin Trudeau plans to step down as prime minister of Canada after 10 years in office

The 53-year-old said he will also step down as leader of the country’s ruling Liberal Party, which he has led since 2013. This move, he said, allows his party to choose a new leader as he suspends parliament until March.

His resignation comes after the polls show his party is likely to suffer a heavy defeat to the official opposition Conservatives in an election that must be held by late October.

Mr Trudeau made the announcement at a press conference outside his residence at Rideau Cottage, in Ottawa, saying “internal battles” mean that he “cannot be the best option” in the next election. He will stay on as prime minister until a new leader of the Liberal Party is chosen.

Parliament, which had been due to resume on January 27, will be pro-rogued until March 24. The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race, though it was not clear when nationwide elections would be held to pick a permanent replacement.

All three main opposition parties have said they plan to topple the Liberal Party in a no-confidence vote when Parliament resumes, so a spring election to pick a permanent replacement was almost assured.

Mr Trudeau came to power in 2015 after 10 years of Conservative Party rule and had initially been hailed for returning the country to its liberal past.

However, the 53-year-old scion of one of Canada’s most famous prime ministers became deeply unpopular with voters in recent years over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing and surging immigration.

The political upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Canada internationally. US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods if the government does not stem what Mr Trump calls a flow of migrants and drugs into the US – even though far fewer of each cross into the US from Canada than from Mexico, which Mr Trump has also threatened.

Canada is a major exporter of oil and natural gas to the US, which also relies on its northern neighbour for steel, aluminium and autos.