Devastating poll: Legault says he’ll lead CAQ into next election

Despite a devastating poll, Quebec Premier François Legault insists he will lead the CAQ into the next electoral battle in two years’ time.

Asked if he still had the confidence of Quebecers, Legault avoided answering the question directly. “I guarantee you that I will be the leader of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) in 2026 for the election campaign,” the premier said instead Tuesday at the National Assembly on his way to question period. 

A poll published Monday in “L’actualité” magazine showed that a majority of Quebecers (53 per cent) believe Legault should resign before the next election. Only one in five said they were satisfied with his performance.

According to Qc125 poll creator Philippe J. Fournier, Legault’s popularity rating is now worse than Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s, which recent polls put at around 30 per cent.

READ MORE: New poll suggests Legault even less popular than Trudeau

Asked whether his leader was still the right man for the job, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette replied that Legault was “the most competent person to hold the position.”

The CAQ leader won a second majority mandate in 2022, when his party won 90 of 125 seats. For over a year, however, the CAQ has lagged behind the Parti Québécois (PQ) in opinion polls.

According to poll aggregator Qc125, if the election were held today, the PQ could win 73 seats, compared with just 7 for the CAQ.

The poll does not point to a clear potential successor. Asked who would make the best leader if Legault were to resign, respondents gave 15 per cent to Geneviève Guilbault (Transport), 10 per cent to Christian Dubé (Health), nine per cent to Simon Jolin-Barrette (Justice), nine per cent to Sonia LeBel (Treasury Board) and six per cent to Bernard Drainville (Education).

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews