Overview
- Legault, founder of the CAQ and premier since 2018, announced he will remain in office until the party selects a new leader.
- Recent polling shows the CAQ sliding to third or lower after controversies and unmet promises, including major cost overruns at the auto insurance board.
- The governing caucus has lost six members in recent months, with five now sitting as independents, underscoring internal fractures.
- Quebec’s next provincial election must be held by Oct. 5, 2026, setting a tight timeline for the CAQ’s leadership transition.
- Reported potential successors include Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, Education Minister Sonia LeBel, Christian Dubé and Geneviève Guilbault.