Justin Trudeau's nine-year rule as Canada's prime minister will soon come to an end after he announced his resignation on Monday (local time).
Mr Trudeau said he would stay on both as prime minister and Liberal head until the party chooses a new leader to take it into the next election, which must be held by late October this year.
Unlike the process in Australia, where party leaders are elected by legislators and can be removed overnight, in Canada they are chosen by special leadership conventions that can take months to organise.
But to avoid going into the next election with Mr Trudeau still the head, the Liberal party are likely to announce a shortened contest to ensure a replacement is in office as soon as possible.
Who are some of the potential candidates?
Potential candidates will soon make their pitches about why they're fit to take over the top job, and some have already signalled interest.
Here's a quick look at the potential contenders who could replace the Liberal leader:
Chrystia Freeland
Title: Former finance minister and deputy prime minister
Chrystia Freeland has been pegged to be Mr Trudeau's successor by a small number of Liberal MPs who opposed him.
Background: Ms Freeland triggered a wave of calls for Mr Trudeau's resignation when she resigned from cabinet on December 16.
Later that day, she received a standing ovation at an emergency caucus meeting.
In an email to supporters and former staffers the next day, she also reignited rumours about her ambitions to succeed him: "This will not be the end of the road."
After Mr Trudeau's announcement, Ms Freeland offered a brief thank you message to the prime minister.
"I thank Justin Trudeau for his years of service to Canada and Canadians. I wish him and his family the very best," she wrote on X.
Mark Carney
Title: Former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, economic adviser to the Liberal Party
Background: Mr Carney has been considered one of the top contenders to take over from Mr Trudeau by some within the party. But there is criticism that Mr Carney wasn't retail-politician ready to lead the Liberal party.
The two-time former central banker, in Canada and the UK, has never run for office.
Mr Carney, currently chair of Brookfield Asset Management, would need to secure a seat in parliament in order to take office if he won the party leadership.
He has reportedly been reaching out to Liberal MPs as he prepares to launch a leadership bid.
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Dominic LeBlanc
Title: Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs
Background: Mr LeBlanc is reportedly one of Mr Trudeau's closest and most trusted allies.
The former lawyer has a record of stepping into portfolios at difficult times, including becoming finance minister hours after the former minister, Chrystia Freeland announced her resignation.
Mr LeBlanc also accompanied Mr Trudeau to Mar-a-Lago in November to meet US President-elect Donald Trump.
The former lawyer has been a parliamentarian for more than two decades and has run for the Liberal leadership before.
He dropped out of the race in 2008, endorsing eventual victor Michael Ignatieff.
Mr LeBlanc also chose not to run against Trudeau in 2013.
Francois-Philippe Champagne
Title: Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Background: François-Philippe Champagne has been a prominent member of Mr Trudeau's front bench since 2018, holding a number of cabinet portfolios.
He was previously minister of infrastructure and foreign affairs, but has served as minister of science and innovation since 2021.
The former businessman and international trade specialist has long been rumoured as a potential successor to Mr Trudeau
Mr Champagne is from Quebec, a province whose voice has often been consequential in federal Canadian elections.
Political analysts have said he's seen as a viable option for luring centrist Liberals back into the fold.
Anita Anand
Title: Minister for Transport
Background: Ms Anand, a lawyer, entered the political scene in 2019 when she was elected to represent the riding of Oakville, just outside of Toronto.
An Oxford-educated academic, she has a background in financial market regulation and corporate governance.
Initially given the typically low-profile role of procurement minister, she quickly rose to prominence in that position during the peak of the COVID pandemic when acquiring vaccines and personal protective equipment became a priority for the government.
The Ontario MP was later promoted to defence minister in 2021, holding the file during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine the next year.
Melanie Joly
Title: Foreign Minister
Background: Melanie Joly was invited by Mr Trudeau to become an MP after her unsuccessful mayoral race in Montreal, where she had a surprisingly strong finish.
The Oxford-educated lawyer and former communications firm executive has maintained a high profile in Quebec.
As the current foreign minister, she has taken several trips to Ukraine in a show of Canada's support.
She travelled to Jordan to aid in the evacuation of Canadian citizens in the region when the Israel-Gaza war erupted.
Ms Joly was featured in a December 2024 New York Times article named: Tapped by Trudeau to Steer Foreign Affairs, She's Now His Possible Successor.
The piece declared her a "top contender to replace Justin Trudeau."
