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.

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.

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.”

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

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.

Canada's ruling Liberal Party is looking for a new leader to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced on Jan. 6 he intended to step down. The Liberal Party will pick a new chief on March 9.

Carney worked for Goldman Sachs before joining the Canadian finance ministry in 2004. He was named Bank of Canada governor in 2007 and quickly had to deal with the after-effects o

Mark Carney, the former governor of Canada's central bank, on Thursday launched his bid to succeed Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and prime minister, immediately becoming a frontrunner in the race.