Justin Trudeau’s announcement that he will step down in the coming months means Canada’s Liberal party needs a new leader. The party will announce the winner of the leadership race on 9 March. That person will become prime minister – but might only have weeks on the job.

With the Conservatives eager for an election, the government could fall when parliament returns in late March if other opposition parties join a vote of non-confidence.

A number of senior cabinet members had been expected to enter the race – including the foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, finance minister Dominic LeBlanc, industry minister François-Philippe Champagne, transport minister Anita Anand and natural resources minister Jonathan Wilkinson – but all have declined to run, citing the need to focus on the tense relationship with the United States.

Here are the candidates:

Chrystia Freeland

The former finance minister and deputy prime minister is regarded as having triggered Trudeau’s resignation announcement by making her own three weeks ago. Once a key ally of the prime minister, she stepped down over disagreements with him about how to deal with the incoming Trump administration’s threat to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods and services.

In her resignation letter, she was scathing, warning Trudeau against “costly political gimmicks” and warning that the country faced “a grave challenge”.

Freeland has established herself as a reliable and longstanding member of Trudeau’s cabinet since he became PM in 2015, serving in several cabinet portfolios including foreign affairs and international trade. She is known for deftly renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement with the first Trump administration, which secured Canadian access to the US market despite Trump’s politics.

The former journalist is seen as a frontrunner.

Mark Carney

The former Bank of England and Bank of Canada governor has long been floated as a potential cabinet minister, with Trudeau confirming in 2024 he had been encouraging him to enter federal politics; indeed, relations between Freeland and Trudeau were also understood to have deteriorated amid allegations he wanted to replace her with Carney.

His economic credentials at a time of global economic crisis are seen as an asset by some but there is some scepticism about his bid, given he has never held political office before.

Carney has so far secured the most endorsements from prominent Liberals and cabinet ministers.

Both Carney and Freeland have pledged to scrap key elements of the controversial carbon tax.

Karina Gould

The 37-year-old government house leader has hinted she might enter the race, and if she did she would be the youngest candidate for the job. She was first elected in 2015 and has served as president of the Queen’s Privy Council, minister of democratic institutions, minister of international development and minister of families, children and social development.

Jaime Battiste

The Nova Scotia member of parliament is running and would be the first Indigenous prime minister if he wins. He currently serves as the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Crown-Indigenous relations.

Chandra Arya

The member of parliament is campaigning on running a “small, more efficient government” and on offering “bold political decisions” to solve the country’s problems. But Arya has come under fire for dismissing the importance of the French language, widely seen as a prerequisite for the top job.

Frank Baylis

The Montreal-based entrepreneur and former MP has focused his campaign on the threat of Donald Trump’s tariffs. “These are negotiating tactics… and they will not work on me. And I have already dealt with these kinds of things. Understand what he is trying to do. Do not fall into the trap. We will get together and make it work,” he told CTV News.

Ruby Dhalla

A former Liberal member of parliament, businesswoman and actor, Dhalla says she’s running to be ​ “the first woman of Indian origin elected as prime minister of Canada” Dahalla, who held her electoral seat from 2004 until 2011, said she would fight so that “we get the respect that Canada deserves at the international stage”.

Michael Clark

Candidate Michael Clark has said he would run a Christian, pro-life campaign and end all commitments Canada has made to the World Health Organization and the United Nations.