François Legault’s voice trembles as he announces his resignation as Premier of Quebec. He will remain in office until his party chooses an interim replacement.
François Legault’s resignation
His resignation and press conference at 11 a.m. this morning, January 14, 2026, came as a complete surprise. While some had expected it, many are astonished by his departure from political life.
“I want what’s best for Quebecers. I haven’t always succeeded.”
He has been the leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) party, the first nationalist without being a sovereignist in Quebec, since 2011. He has been Premier of Quebec since 2018. He will have served two majority terms as the leader of Quebec.
The CAQ has been losing ground in the polls for some time, currently standing at 11%.
“I think our nation is a beautiful nation. A nation of solidarity.”
He reflects on the pandemic, his two terms in office, and talks about his great pride in the civil service, which is to have been able to employ additional help for CHSLDs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I am proud of the progress we have made in health, education, and culture (over the past seven years). Budgets have increased by 57% in health, 58% in education, and 61% in culture. This is unprecedented.”
He also talks about reducing the wealth gap between Quebec and the rest of Canada, the province’s autonomy, and the preservation of the French language—which he refers to as a challenge for the next administration.
“We should not be ashamed to protect our language, our culture, and our values. We should be proud to be Quebecers.”
Quebec’s economy, foreign investment, and Donald Trump’s policies are at the heart of his speech, which looks back but also illustrates the challenges facing the province in the coming years.
What does this mean for Montreal?
Given that François Legault will remain in office until his party, the Coalition Avenir Québec, elects a successor, it is unclear whether this will change anything in the province’s government policy. For now, the Quebec government remains in place.