Quebec Liberal Leader Rodriguez struggles to manage crisis within party

MONTREAL — As the turmoil engulfing the Quebec Liberals enters its second week, leader Pablo Rodriguez is facing questions about his ability to manage his caucus — let alone a provincial government.

Rodriguez gave a combative performance on popular Quebec talk show “Tout le monde en parle” Sunday night, capping off a week spent trying to get ahead of the worst crisis he has faced since winning the Liberal leadership in June.

“I’m going to fight to the death for my party,” he said. “I don’t like what’s happening right now, and it’s hurting the party.”

But from the start of the 20-minute segment, the former federal cabinet minister faced a barrage of questions about how he’d let the situation get so badly out of hand. “The question everyone is asking right now is, if you can’t manage 20 Liberal caucus members and all hell is breaking loose, how are you going to manage crises (as premier)?” asked guest co-host MC Gilles.

Rodriguez insisted he has managed “a huge number” of crises during his long career in politics. But if the Liberal leader was hoping an appearance on the must-watch TV show on Radio-Canada would help to calm the waters, he may be disappointed.

“He doesn’t answer questions. He doesn’t provide enough information to win people’s trust,” said Sophie Villeneuve, a political analyst and former Parti Québécois staffer. “It’s a long way to becoming premier when you don’t have control over your own caucus.”

Rodriguez is facing a crisis on two fronts. Last week, he suspended popular Liberal Marwah Rizqy from his caucus after she had fired her chief of staff without consulting him, in what the party called a breach of trust. Rizqy had been the party’s leader in the provincial legislature, as Rodriguez does not hold a seat. Her reasons for the firing remain unclear.

Shortly after that story broke, Le Journal de Montréal published text messages suggesting some party members who voted for Rodriguez during the leadership race could have received cash rewards. Rodriguez has mandated an external firm to investigate the allegations, and has also threatened legal action against the Journal, demanding to know the names of the people behind the messages.

Rodriguez insists he doesn’t know the details of the dispute between Rizqy and her former chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse — a claim that beggars belief, Villeneuve said. “It’s impossible for a party leader to be so sidelined in decision-making in all my years of experience in politics,” she said.

Villeneuve also said it’s “never the solution” to attack the media in the way Rodriguez has done in response to the text messages. “Besides, there’s rarely smoke without fire,” she added.

Rodriguez is hoping to restore the Liberals to power in a provincial election set for next year. After eight years in power, the government of Premier François Legault is deeply unpopular, and Rodriguez is presenting his party as the only viable alternative to the sovereigntist Parti Québécois, currently leading in the polls.

But Rudy Husny, a political analyst and former staffer with former prime minister Stephen Harper’s government, said Rodriguez has made an “avalanche of mistakes” in attempting to manage the crisis, and is showing his inexperience as a leader.

“He’s not somebody who is good when it comes to managing people and being a thought leader,” he said. “He’s basically a political operative.”

Rizqy published her first public statement about the matter shortly before Rodriguez’s appearance on Sunday, in which she acknowledged that Quebecers have unanswered questions. “Although throughout my political career I have never shied away from questions and have always answered them with honesty, integrity, and transparency, unfortunately I cannot do so in this case,” she said, explaining that employers cannot comment publicly about their employees.

The other controversy, involving allegations of cash for votes, is particularly damaging to the Quebec Liberals because of the party’s tainted past, Husny said. The government of former premier Jean Charest was badly tarnished by a scandal involving corruption in the construction sector and the illegal financing of political parties. Although no member of the Liberals was charged with a crime, a public inquiry — known as the Charbonneau commission — revealed widespread corruption in the construction industry, often involving organized crime, and the close ties with municipal and provincial politicians.

“It’s basically bringing back all the old skeletons of the Liberal party of Quebec,” he said. “They need to show that they are cleaner than clean.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2025.

Maura Forrest, The Canadian Press