Chrystia Freeland, whose abrupt resignation as finance minister last month forced Justin Trudeau's exit as prime minister, said she is running to be the next leader of the Liberal Party and prime minister of Canada.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Former Canadian finance minister Chrystia Freeland on Friday announced that she would take part in the contest to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the ruling Liberal Party.

Chrystia Freeland, the former deputy prime minister, sought to distance herself from Mr. Trudeau in a public letter criticizing him for “costly political gimmicks.”

OTTAWA — Chrystia Freeland, whose dramatic resignation as finance minister in December set the stage for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down, has announced she will run for the Liberal leadership. Freeland announced her campaign on social media on Friday morning with a single sentence: “I am running to fight for Canada.”

Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso replaced the nation’s finance minister in a cabinet reshuffle, after a squeeze on state finances led to a shortage of cash in the Central African nation.

Former Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland intends to run to lead the country's Liberal Party. In a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday, Freeland said she would hold a formal campaign launch in the coming days,

Chrystia Freeland, the former Canadian finance minister who helped bring Justin Trudeau’s political career to an end when she resigned in December, has joined the race to replace him as prime minister.

Chrystia Freeland has announced her candidacy for leader of Canada's Liberal Party, following her resignation as finance minister, which precipitated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to step down.