Quebec Liberal leader steps down after weeks of turmoil: sources

quebec city progressive company Leader Pablo Rodriguez resigned from his carry during a get together with his caucus Wednesday afternoon, according to Radio-Canada sources.

Rodriguez felt he had become too great a distraction and that his presence was hurting the party, sources say.

He is expected to hold a news conference on Thursday where he will make the announcement public.

The decision comes after weeks of turmoil within the Quebec Liberal Party. Prominent Liberals had been calling on Rodriguez to resign from his post.

The pressure on Rodriguez further ramped up after allegations surfaced Tuesday of illegal campaign donations.

It is alleged that the host of a fundraising event handed back $500 in cash to roughly 20 people who could not afford the entry price, effectively covering their donations. Such a scheme is illegal under Quebec’s election laws. 

In a statement Tuesday, the Liberal Party confirmed Rodriguez was present at the event, but maintained that neither he nor his team had any knowledge of the alleged payouts.

The allegations marked the latest blow to Rodriguez and the Liberals.

The political crisis began on Nov. 18, when Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy was suspended from caucus and removed from her position as parliamentary leader for firing her chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse, without consulting Rodriguez.

The next day, the Journal de Montréal published alleged text messages suggesting that some members of the party had received $100 to vote for Rodriguez in the party's leadership race.

UPAC, Quebec's anti-corruption police, has since launched an investigation into the alleged pay-for-vote scheme. Rodriguez has maintained he knew nothing about that arrangement as well.

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Rodriguez, a former federal MP and cabinet minister under the Trudeau government, has only been at the helm of the Quebec Liberals for six months — since winning the leadership in June.

His departure leaves the party without a leader heading into an election year.

The Liberals are the Official Opposition at Quebec’s National Assembly, with the governing Coalition Avenir Québec holding a significant majority.

The separatist Parti Québécois has been leading in the polls for months, while support for the CAQ has plummeted. The election is set for October 2026.

Political science Prof. Daniel Béland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, said the Quebec Liberals will need to move quickly.

He added that the Liberals must "look in the mirror" to avoid further controversies involving campaign financing. "It's not just about changing the leader," he said.

Former senator and columnist André Pratte, who recently chaired a policy commission for the Quebec Liberals, believes the party still has an opportunity to rebuild.

"People are looking for an alternative to the current government," he told Radio-Canada.

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Journalist

Benjamin Shingler is a reporter based in Montreal covering social issues and Quebec politics. He previously worked at The Canadian Press and the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal, and is an alumnus of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network. He can be reached at benjamin.shingler@cbc.ca.

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