Quebec Premier François Legault to resign, won’t lead his party into fall election

QUÉBEC – Quebec Premier François Legault announced Wednesday that he would resign after more than seven years in power, triggering a leadership race and further upending the province’s political landscape with only months to go before the fall provincial election. 

Legault told reporters at a hastily-called news conference in Quebec City that he would remain in his position until a new leader is chosen for his Coalition Avenir Québec party.

“I see well that right now Quebecers want change first, and among other things, a change of premier,” he said. “For the good of my party and especially for the good of Quebec, I am announcing today that I will leave my position as Quebec premier.” 

Legault’s convincing election victory in 2018 marked the start of a new era in Quebec politics, ending nearly 50 years of federalist-versus-sovereigntist Liberal and Parti Québécois rule.

The 68-year-old Air Transat co-founder led his party to a second straight victory in 2022, buoyed by his popularity among francophones, the fragmentation of the opposition and the sustained visibility he obtained during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

But in more recent times Legault’s party has been beset by struggles including a ballooning deficit, a scandal at the province’s auto insurance board and hostile negotiations with doctors that led to the resignation of two cabinet ministers.

Including Christian Dubé and Lionel Carmant — who left their cabinet posts amid the doctor talks — the party lost six legislature members in the past year, triggering speculation about Legault’s future.

The party had been sitting in third in the polls, behind the PQ and the Liberals. A poll by Pallas Data for the polling aggregator Qc125 and L’Actualité published on Tuesday suggested the party has lost even more ground, putting it on par with leftist Québec solidaire. In the same survey, 75 per cent of respondents had an unfavourable impression of the premier.

The party has lost the last three byelections to the PQ, which now sits firmly in the driver’s seat ahead of the next provincial election scheduled for Oct. 5. 

In his resignation speech, Legault said he hoped the next election would be focused on the big challenges facing Quebec, such as the economy and protecting the French language, rather than a desire for change. 

His departure, however, adds yet more instability to a political landscape in flux, with two main parties now leaderless with only months to go before voters head to the polls. The CAQ now faces the challenge of replacing the only leader it has ever had since Legault co-founded the party in 2011. 

The provincial Liberals are also in the midst of a leadership race following the resignation of Pablo Rodriguez in December. 

Both new leaders will have to rapidly mount a campaign against the PQ under Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who has said he will hold a sovereignty referendum in his first mandate if elected.

Legault was first recruited by then-Parti Québécois leader Lucien Bouchard in 1998, before winning the Rousseau riding in that year’s general election. He’s been re-elected seven times.

When he co-founded the CAQ in 2011, he promised to shift the political focus in the province away from the sovereignty debate and toward other priorities such the economy. He led the party to a convincing victory in 2018, winning 74 of the legislature’s 125 seats, and further expanded his majority in 2022.

In his speech on Wednesday, he expressed pride over his government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the effort to rapidly train thousands of care workers, as well as his work to reduce the wealth gap with neighbouring Ontario and to attract investment.

He also highlighted his efforts to ramp up electricity production with Hydro-Québec, build new seniors homes, and increase investments in health, education and culture. 

“I can guarantee to you that each day I got up telling myself that I want what’s best for Quebecers,” he said. “I didn’t always succeed but I can guarantee to you that I tried, I tried very hard with all the energy that I had.” 

Legault described politics as an “extreme sport” and thanked his wife, Isabelle Brais, and the couple’s two sons for standing by his side during the highs and lows. He also thanked the party’s volunteers, the larger CAQ family, and the voters who carried him to two majority mandates.

“Being premier of Quebec has been the greatest honour of my life,” he concluded.

Both St-Pierre Plamondon and Marc Tanguay, the interim leader of the Liberals, released statements praising Legault’s long career and his commitment to Quebecers, particularly during the pandemic. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2026.

— by Morgan Lowrie in Montreal with files from Caroline Plante in Quebec City.