Quebec Premier François Legault, 68, announced he will resign after more than seven years in office and will remain until his party selects a successor. The resignation comes ahead of an election that polls currently suggest the separatist Parti Québécois is likely to win and could push for a new referendum on independence. Legault founded the Coalition Avenir Québec in 2011 and has advocated greater powers for Quebec within Canada rather than outright separation. Recent polls put the PQ at about 35%, Liberals at 20% and the CAQ at 19%.
Quebec Premier François Legault Announces Resignation Ahead Of Election Favoring Separatists
FILE PHOTO: Premier of Quebec Francois Legault meets with press at the First Ministers meeting to discuss various trade and policy issues at TCU Place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada June 2, 2025. REUTERS/Nayan Sthankiya/File Photo
Quebec Premier François Legault said on Wednesday he will resign after more than seven years in office, a surprise announcement that comes months before a provincial election in which the separatist Parti Québécois appears poised to win.
Legault, 68, formed the center-right Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in 2011 and led it to majority victories in 2018 and 2022. In recent months the party has struggled with voter fatigue and a public dispute with the medical community, factors Legault cited as part of the reason for his departure.
"A lot of people in Quebec want change, and among other things, a change of prime minister," Legault told reporters in Quebec City. "For the good of my party, and above all for the good of Quebec, I am announcing today that I will leave my position as prime minister of Quebec."
Legault said he will remain in office until the CAQ selects a new leader. By law, Quebec must hold its next provincial election by Oct. 5. Current opinion polls — including a recent Leger survey — put the Parti Québécois (PQ) ahead with roughly 35% support, followed by the Quebec Liberals at about 20% and the CAQ at roughly 19%.
What a PQ Victory Would Mean
The PQ campaigns on sovereignty and has pledged to hold a new referendum on independence if it wins power. Quebec previously held referendums on sovereignty in 1980 and 1995; both failed to secure independence. Polling across the last two years, however, indicates a persistent majority of Quebecers oppose leaving Canada, even as voting intentions can give the PQ a legislative majority under current numbers.
Legault's Record And Priorities
A former airline executive, Legault repeatedly pushed for greater provincial powers within Canada rather than full separation. He spent much of his premiership pressing the federal government to curb crossings by asylum seekers at the Canada–U.S. border and to compensate Quebec for related costs.
The provincial Liberals are also searching for a new leader after their recent resignation, adding another element of flux to Quebec's political landscape as parties prepare for a high-stakes election that could reshape the province’s future.
Reporting: David Ljunggren. Editing: Franklin Paul and Nia Williams.
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