François Legault

François Legault governs Quebec with a clear and consistent vision: Quebec's language, culture, and identity above all else. Within that framework he has shown discipline and focus, and he commands genuine support among francophone Quebecers who feel their culture needs protecting. That democratic mandate is real and deserves acknowledgment. However, some of the policies that have defined his government cross a line that a democratic society should not cross lightly. Bill 21, banning religious symbols for public servants in positions of authority; effectively tells Sikh teachers, Muslim women in hijabs, and others that their faith makes them unfit for public service. This is not secularism. It is discrimination dressed in the language of neutrality. His aggressive stance on immigration and the expansion of French language requirements under Bill 96 have further raised questions about whether his government governs for all Quebecers or only some of them. Legault is not reckless or corrupt, he is ideologically consistent and politically effective within his own terms. But a leader who narrows the definition of who belongs in public life is not advancing democracy. He is limiting it.

People in Quebec aren't somehow immune to the cost of living crisis no matter what the CAQ says. My grocery bills are painful. Rent in the cities has gone through the roof. Legault spends so much energy on language debates — that's fine, but it doesn't help me put food on the table. Kitchen table issues need to be front and centre right now. That's what families here are actually worried about.

Premier Legault acts like Quebec is insulated from the economic pain the rest of Canada is feeling — it isn't. Grocery bills are brutal, rent in Montreal is nothing like it used to be, and wages haven't kept up. The CAQ government has been more focused on language and identity politics than on the kitchen table issues that actually affect families. Quebec families need real affordability measures, not political theatre.

François Legault came to office in 2018 as the first CAQ premier in Quebec history, defeating both the Liberals and PQ in a province-shifting election. His early years were marked by genuine ambition: childcare expansion, immigration reform, and a distinctive Quebec-first approach to governance that resonated broadly. During the pandemic, his decisive communication and high approval ratings made him the most popular premier in Canada. That height makes the fall all the more striking. The SAAQclic scandal — a government driver's licence system that ballooned to $500 million in cost overruns — became a symbol of fiscal mismanagement, with Legault admitting he was unaware of the ballooning budget. Bill 2, which restructured physician compensation, prompted warnings from Montreal doctors that clinics would close and patients would be put at risk, outraging the medical community. His approval rating collapsed to 22%, with 75% of Quebecers holding an unfavourable view — the lowest of any premier in Canada by a wide margin. On January 14, 2026, Legault announced his resignation as Premier and CAQ leader. His tenure ended not with a legacy of reform but with his party at its weakest in a decade and a province that had lost confidence in his leadership. A cautionary tale of how quickly political capital can evaporate.