Voting begins in Coalition Avenir Québec leadership race to replace Premier Legault
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
QUÉBEC – Voting is open for members of the Coalition Avenir Québec to choose a new leader who will replace Premier François Legault.
Christine Fréchette, a former economy minister, and Bernard Drainville, an ex-environment minister, are the only candidates after Legault announced in January he would step down.
Approximately 20,500 eligible members have until Sunday at 3 p.m. to choose a leader.
The winner will become both party leader and premier with only months to go until the October provincial election.
Recent polls indicate the CAQ is trailing behind the Parti Québécois, Liberals and Conservatives.
Fréchette has announced two new endorsements including Natural Resources Minister Jean-François Simard, one day after three high-profile cabinet ministers publicly joined Drainville’s camp.
Legault co-created the CAQ in 2011 and has been premier since 2018.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2026.