Quebec Premier François Legault resigns, will stay on until party elects new leader

unrecorded special: quebec city premiere François Legault plans to tread down

Quebec Premier François Legault resigns

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I'm Ben Shingler, a reporter based in Montreal who covered Legault's time as premier.

Legault was a transformational figure in Quebec politics. The party he founded, the CAQ, was the first since 1970 to win an election other than the Liberals or separatist Parti Québécois.

He pushed a brand of nationalism, focused on strengthening Quebec's economy, as well as language laws and secularism laws, that aimed to offer an alternative to those two main parties and the question of Quebec independence. Now, that issue could once again be at the forefront in this year's coming election, with the PQ leading in the polls.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who often worked closely with Legault on issues between provinces and the federal government as well as on economic issues, thanked the Quebec premier in a post on X. 

"Thank you … for your friendship, leadership and many years of public service, and for working so closely together to build a stronger relationship between the people of Ontario and Quebec," Ford wrote.

"I wish you and your family all the very best in your retirement."

Hi, I’m Cat Tunney, a reporter with the Parliamentary Bureau in Ottawa, where we're watching to see how federal leaders react to Legault's surprise resignation.

The unpopular Quebec premier has had a tumultuous relationship with the federal Liberals over the years — notably facing off against former Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau on issues of secularism, immigration and health care.

Legault has struck a friendlier posture with Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying he's on the "same wavelength" when it comes to the economy.

The air of cordiality could also be chalked up to the prime minister's success in Quebec during the last federal election, as Legault's popularity suffered.

After listing a number of his party's accomplishments, including controversial measures such as sweeping legislation on language and secularism and altering the way doctors are paid, Legault said he wanted to extend "sincere thanks to the people of Quebec for allowing me to have two mandates." 

"I am deeply touched. I love the people of Quebec. And for me as premier, it was the greatest honour of my life," he added, ending his remarks.

Hi, I'm Holly Cabrera. I'm a journalist in Montreal.

While the Coalition Avenir Québec presented itself as the party best positioned to oversee the province's economy, the CAQ's last term has been marred by controversy. 

For one, the government lost its $270-million investment in Northvolt Batteries North America's parent company after Northvolt filed for bankruptcy in Sweden in March 2025.

The government's mishandling of Quebec's automobile insurance board digital transformation led to a $500-million cost overrun for the project.

In December, Quebec's unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points, reaching 5.4 per cent, according to the Institut du Québec. 

Are Quebecers done with François Legault and the CAQ?

After the CAQ’s byelection loss in Arthabaska, Quebec Premier François Legault is looking for a way to reboot his party. He recognized that Quebecers are disappointed with his government and its handling of several files, including Northvolt and the SAAQclic fiasco.

Hi, this is Annabelle Olivier reporting from Montreal. The past year has been a turbulent one for Legault's CAQ party, and was marked by the departure of several cabinet ministers including Christian Dubé in December.

Dubé, who became health minister in 2020, steered the province through the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw significant changes in the way Quebec administers its public health-care network.

He was also the architect of the controversial legislation known as Bill 2, which sought to reform how physicians are paid and was met with pushback and protests.  

In a Facebook post last December, Dubé cited difficult negotiations with the unions representing doctors in Quebec as a key reason for his resignation.

Dubé said he was also leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec and signalled that he was upset with the way the government had backed off on many of its planned health-care reforms. 

Legault was premier over the course of the pandemic and became known for strict regulations, including an overnight curfew to prevent gatherings. 

His voice showed emotion when he recalled how quickly the virus overtook long-term care homes in the province. 

"I was touched by the solidarity of Quebecers," he said. "People, young people were making sacrifices…. I think our nation is a wonderful nation."

Legault represented the riding of L'Assomption in Quebec's Lanaudière region north of Montreal since 2012. 

His party, the Coalition Avenir Québec, was founded seven years before being elected to power in a majority, Legault noted. 

"What we were able to achieve is quite a feat," he said, "to be able to form two majority governments in just seven years."

"I guarantee you that every single day I got up in the morning and said to myself, I want to do what is best for the people of Quebec," he added. "I didn't always succeed, but I can guarantee you that I tried. I tried very hard with all my energy."

Legault is speaking now.

"Quebecers want change," Legault said. "For the good of the party and for the good of Quebec, I'm announcing that I will resign as premier." 

Legault said he would stay in place as party leader until the CAQ designates an interim leader.

The party Legault founded in 2011, the nationalist Coalition Avenir Québec, will have just months to choose a new leader ahead of the provincial election scheduled for this fall.

The resignation comes after months of turbulence that saw ministers leave the party and falling poll results.

Legault led the CAQ to majority governments in the 2018 and 2022 provincial elections.

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