Québec Politics in Turmoil: A Chaotic Return from the Holiday Break

The National Assembly of Québec may have been on break over the past few weeks, but make no mistake: Québec’s political news cycle has rarely been this turbulent.

Premier François Legault resigns

Faced with a series of polls pointing to a crushing defeat for the CAQ in the impending general election, and despite having put forward several popular measures in recent months, François Legault came to a clear conclusion: Québecers want change. Unfortunately for him, that change no longer includes his leadership. Shortly after the holiday break, the Premier announced his resignation. He will remain in office until April 12, when his successor is chosen through a leadership race.

Dubé, Guilbault, LeBel: the CAQ begins to unravel

The Premier was not the only one to announce a political departure in recent weeks. Just before the holidays, Health Minister Christian Dubé stepped down, citing disagreements over the deal reached with family doctors. Blamed for the SAAQclic online platform fiasco, Municipal Affairs Minister Geneviève Guilbault announced that she will retire from political life at the end of the current mandate, as did Sonia LeBel, the current Minister of Education. These successive exits are reinforcing the perception that the governing party is coming apart at the seams.

The CAQ Leadership Race Is Officially Underway

The leadership race within the CAQ is now officially underway. Christine Fréchette and Bernard Drainville have both announced their intention to run and will be required to step down from their ministerial roles as a result. Party members will select the next leader through a preferential voting system. Candidates have until February 21 to enter the race, with the new leader to be chosen on April 12.

Québec Liberal Party: Rodriguez steps aside, Milliard enters the race

A steady stream of revelations calling into question the integrity of the leadership race that he won, combined with a poorly managed crisis response, ultimately proved fatal for Pablo Rodriguez. The Québec Liberal Party now finds itself plunged into its second leadership contest in just a few months. Charles Milliard, the former CEO of the Québec Federation of Chambers of Commerce who narrowly lost the first race, currently appears to be cruising toward victory in the absence of serious challengers. If he remains unopposed, Milliard will be named leader on February 13. If additional candidates enter the race, Rodriguez’ successor will be chosen on March 14.

CAQ MNA arrested for impaired driving, expelled from caucus

François Tremblay, the CAQ MNA for Dubuc, was arrested for impaired driving in early January. According to police, his vehicle collided with a fence near a railway line in Saguenay, and at the time of his arrest, his blood alcohol level was reportedly nearly twice the legal limit. The response was swift: Tremblay was expelled from the CAQ caucus, particularly given that this was not his first offence. He had previously been arrested for impaired driving about a decade ago, prior to joining the CAQ.

Electoral redistribution confirmed, to the dismay of political parties

In an attempt to block a proposed redistribution of electoral boundaries by an independent commission, members of all parties unanimously passed legislation to halt the process. In a surprise move, however, the Superior Court struck down the law and ordered the commission to continue its work, much to the frustration of provincial elected officials. The new electoral map, which will be used in the upcoming general election scheduled for October, has now been officially published in the Québec Official Gazette. Regions such as Montreal and Gaspésie will each lose one riding, while others will see their representation improved. The Québec government plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, though its chances of success appear slim.

Finance Minister launches pre-budget consultations

As tradition dictates, Finance Minister Eric Girard has officially launched the 2026–2027 pre-budget consultations ahead of the expected tabling of the budget in March. This exercise gives organizations across the province an opportunity to present their priorities and proposals on public policy and economic development. This year, submissions must be filed by February 13.