François Legault created the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in 2011 and has led the party ever since. After stepping down as premier in January 2026, the party has now welcomed Christine Fréchette as its new leader. Fréchette will be sworn in as Quebec’s premier, marking a significant transition for the province.
The leadership race saw Fréchette and Bernard Drainville as the only candidates, with 15,800 members participating in the vote. Fréchette focused her campaign on economic issues, particularly around shale gas and hydraulic fracturing, while Drainville positioned himself as a defender of Quebec’s identity and a proponent of stricter immigration policies.
In her acceptance speech, Fréchette expressed her gratitude, stating, “I am so happy and proud that you put your trust in me.” She emphasized a commitment to a new kind of leadership, saying, “Today we’re moving on to a new step. You voted for a new kind of leadership, a new generation.” Fréchette’s vision aims to make life easier for Quebecers, a sentiment echoed in her statement, “You deserve a government that will make your life easier.”
However, the CAQ currently faces challenges, polling at just nine percent of the vote, with predictions suggesting they may win zero seats in the upcoming election. Observers like Jean-Marc Léger note that the developments within the CAQ will significantly impact the provincial election and the potential for a referendum thereafter.
Fréchette, a former Parti Québécois staffer, was elected as a CAQ member of the national assembly for Sanguinet in 2022. Drainville, a former Parti Québécois minister, was also elected as a CAQ MNA for Lévis in the same year. The leadership change not only signifies a new chapter for the CAQ but also has implications for the separatist Parti Québécois’s standing against the Quebec Liberals.
As the province looks ahead, the leadership of Christine Fréchette is poised to shape the future of Quebec politics, with many eager to see how her policies will unfold in the coming months.
