Christine Fréchette, Bernard Drainville in race to become CAQ leader, Quebec premier

MONTREAL — It’s shaping up to be a two-person race for the leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec as the party seeks to replace Premier François Legault.

Christine Fréchette, who held the economy portfolio, and Bernard Drainville, who was environment minister, announced over the weekend they intend to run for the leadership. Party rules require both of them to step aside from cabinet while they are leadership candidates.

The upcoming race is the first in the CAQ’s history, as Legault co-founded the party in 2011 and has served as its only leader. After more than seven years in power, Legault announced on Jan. 15 he would step down after the CAQ chooses his replacement, which will happen on April 12. The winner would also become premier until the October 2026 provincial election.

Legault wished both candidates the best in a statement posted to his X account on Monday.

“A leadership race is a demanding exercise, both personally and politically. It is even more so when one becomes premier of Quebec,” Legault wrote. “Christine and Bernard, I wish you a campaign worthy of your talents, conducted with rigour and integrity, in the best interests of Quebecers.”

The party officially launched its leadership race on Jan. 22 with strict rules: candidates must collect signatures from 1,000 party members from at least 75 ridings, including 15 legislature members and 100 members of the party’s youth wing. There is also a $30,000 non-refundable fee and $150,000 campaign spending cap. The period to announce a candidacy runs until Feb. 21.

Here are brief profiles of Fréchette and Drainville:

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Christine Fréchette

Age: 55

Education: HEC Montréal, degree in business administration, specializing in economics and international trade; Université Laval, master’s degree in international relations.

Before politics: U.S. political analyst, political staffer, president of Chambre de Commerce de l’Est de Montréal.

Political record: Fréchette entered provincial politics with the CAQ, winning the riding of Sanguinet during the October 2022 provincial election. Considered a high-profile candidate, she was immediately named immigration and French-language minister by Legault. On Sept. 5, 2024, Fréchette was tapped to replace Pierre Fitzgibbon as economy, innovation and energy minister.

Quote: “I am a proud representative of the Coalition Avenir Québec, a modern nationalist party whose primary objective is to ensure the development and prosperity of the Quebec nation within Canada, while proudly defending its autonomy, language, values, and culture. And it is on the basis of these convictions that I wish to become the leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec and your next premier,” Fréchette told reporters at her campaign launch in her hometown of Trois-Rivières on Jan. 25.

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Bernard Drainville

Age: 62

Education: University of Ottawa, bachelor of political science, communication; London School of Economics and Political Science, master in international relations.

Before politics: Journalist, political commentator, radio host.

Political record: A star candidate during the 2022 provincial election, Drainville won the Quebec City-area riding of Lévis, and served as education minister until September 2025, when he was moved to the environment portfolio. He used to be a member of the Parti Québécois, first elected in the March 26, 2007, provincial election and re-elected in 2008 and 2012, when PQ took power with a minority government. He became minister for democratic institutions and introduced the ill-fated charter of values, which aimed to prohibit public sector workers from wearing religious symbols. He was re-elected in 2014 in the official Opposition, but quit in June 2016 to return to radio.

Quote: “To regain the confidence of Quebecers, we must remain faithful to the CAQ’s DNA: centre-right nationalism rooted in our regions and driven by courage and passion,” Drainville announced in a video posted to his social media channels on Jan. 24.

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Several potential candidates have said they won’t seek the leadership:

Jean-François Simard, natural resources minister; Simon Jolin-Barrette, justice minister and CAQ house leader; François Bonnardel, former cabinet minister; Ian Lafrenière, public security and Indigenous affairs minister; Eric Girard, finance minister; Sonia LeBel, education minister; Geneviève Guilbault, municipal affairs minister; and Christopher Skeete, international relations minister.

Olivier Primeau, a Quebec entrepreneur, announced on Jan. 16 he would not add his name to the list of potential successors to Legault, saying he has personal and entrepreneurial projects he wishes to see through.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2026.

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press