Quebec’s premier is bidding adieu to the Hôtel du Parlement.
What happened: After over seven years in office, Quebec Premier François Legault announced that he is stepping down from the role and as leader of his Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) party. He plans to remain in office until the CAQ chooses a new leader.
Catch-up: Despite securing two successive majority governments, Legault’s power began to unravel during a horrible, no-good, very bad 2025. His image, and the CAQ’s standing in the polls, steadily tanked as Legault and the province dealt with several scandals, including:
A record $13.6 billion deficit, which called into question his fiscal responsibility and led to the province's credit rating being downgraded for the first time in 30 years.
A damning report about SAAQclic, the province’s online auto insurance platform launched in 2023, detailing cost overruns that Legault claimed he was unaware of.
A row over new legislation that changed the compensation structure for physicians, leading to several cabinet resignations and doctors threatening to leave the province.
Why it matters: Quebec elections are in October, and unless the CAQ can pull off a federal Liberal-style comeback after dumping their leader, the province will have a new ruling party for the first time since 2018. And right now, it looks like that will be the Parti Québécois (PQ).
The PQ is leading polling at 34%, per Pallas Data. Meanwhile, the second-place Quebec Liberals are in crisis as they look to replace ex-leader Pablo Rodriguez.
Big picture: The PQ taking power would mark a major shift in the province’s governance; one that could have national-level ripple effects, such as complicating CUSMA negotiations and a full-throated resurgence of the Quebecois sovereignty movement—QH